


Misunderstanding

by xaphrin



Category: Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016), Teen Titans (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)
Genre: And a little bit of angst, F/M, My Best Friend's Younger Brother Suddenly Got Hot AU, Office AU, Porn With Plot, a tumblr request that got WILDLY out of control, and he's great, damian is a smaramy asshole, no powers, oops there's plot, with plenty of office sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:48:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 29,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22231309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xaphrin/pseuds/xaphrin
Summary: For the last nine years, Raven had thought her best friend's younger brother absolutely hated her. But, now that she's working under him at Wayne Industries, she learned that Damian has had a crush on her since the day he met her. He's learning how to trust her, and puts her on a special project, determined to find out who is funneling money out of Wayne Industries and into a local crime organization in Gotham.But, this brings Raven even closer to him, and without really meaning to, Damian and Raven start a purely physical relationship. He catches feelings too fast, and Raven is left trying to understand what their relationship really is. It's the last thing she needs while they're both trying to figure out who is stealing money from Wayne Industries. Of course, it doesn't help that now Raven is a target, and Damian feels the inescapable urge to protect her however he can.
Relationships: Raven/Damian Wayne
Comments: 61
Kudos: 399





	1. Chapter 1

Raven had heard Tim talk about Damian all the time after they had met freshman year in college. Okay, so maybe  _ talk _ wasn’t  _ exactly _ the right word.  _ Bemoan _ was probably a better description of what Tim did, or at the very least,  _ complain _ .

Not that she could blame Tim for being annoyed with his little brother. Tim's older brothers were fine, mostly mature adults with tilted senses of humor, but still polite nonetheless.  _ Damian _ , however, seemed to be the black sheep of the whole family, and completely different from any of his other siblings. When she first met him, Damian had been just starting his 11th year at his high school - a glaring, sullen teen, made of mostly limbs, who threw up walls because they were easier than actually trying to build relationships. And, the few times Raven had met Damian since then, he’d barely lifted his head in acknowledgement, let alone offered any kind of greeting. He was serious to the point of being uncomfortable, and he practically glared daggers at her whenever Raven came over to visit. The one time she had stayed over for Christmas break, she thought Damian was plotting her demise he had glared at her so much. 

Raven had gotten used to not knowing exactly who Damian was, despite Tim’s consistent effort to complain about him. 

But all of that was changing. 

_ Very _ suddenly.

Raven swallowed as she stared at him from across the room, taking in the shape of him. It had to have been...  _ four _ years since she last saw him? Maybe five. She wasn't exactly sure. Time felt muddled together, a mess of brief memories that all seemed to fade away into vague colors and thoughts when she looked at him. At first she wasn't even sure if it  _ was _ him. He didn't  _ look _ like the sullen teenager she'd met nearly nine years ago. He had grown so much taller, and he had filled out to the point where Raven wasn't sure if his shirt would hold together if Damian flexed any muscle at all. Buttons would fly across the room, that was for sure. Heart crawled up her neck and she stared shamelessly at him, taking in his deep green eyes and olive skin like it was the first time she was seeing him. 

Damian adjusted the suit coat on his shoulders, before picking up a glass of what was probably  _ very  _ good scotch in his hand. He spoke briefly to a person next to him, his gaze intense and his mouth tilting down into a slight frown. Raven's tried to memorize the new angles and curves to his face. Even his  _ lips _ had filled out, looking full and dangerously inviting. There was a new scar near his jaw, probably from a rugby accident in college, but it only served to make him look  _ more _ imposing. He turned and caught her stare across the room, eyebrows lifting slightly as he recognized who she was. A moment passed as his gaze swept down the length of her, examining her with the same shameless curiosity she had towards him.

There was a long pause, as if the room had faded away and he was trying to weigh out whether or not he should talk to her. Finally, he took a step towards her and moved through the crowd.

_ Oh no. _

Raven felt like she was about to panic, and her heart pounded out a wild rhythm as she saw him sidestep a group of people trying to get his attention. His eyes were honed in on her and her alone, and that was  _ definitely _ not something she needed. She looked around her for someone she might try and cling to, just so she could avoid a conversation with him, but it was too late. Before she found an escape route, Damian stood in front of her,  _ towering  _ over her as he practically blocked out the light with the width of his shoulders. Raven swallowed and slowly tilted her head back to look into his eyes. 

“D-damian. Wow… I… I haven’t seen you in years.” She offered him a small smile and took a half-step back, trying to put space between them. “How are you doing?”

“I hear you’re going to be our new investigative accountant.” His words were clipped, as if he wanted to get through the cordial part of the conversation before getting to the meat of something. He took a step forward and filled the space she had created. Raven could smell the scent of spice clinging to him, like cinnamon and cloves, and it made her mouth water. Which was  _ so _ not what she needed right now. 

“Ah… yes. Tim offered me the position last week.” She narrowed her eyes, suddenly remembering something. “ _ You _ signed the offer letter.”

“I did.” He nodded and glanced down at the cuffs of his jacket, straightening them. “It’s good to see you here. I have a file of information I need you to look at. I’d like your opinion on something rather time sensitive.” Damian turned and set the scotch on the table next to them and motioned for her to follow him out of the room. “If you would follow me.”

She blinked, surprised at how curt he was being, uncertain if she  _ should _ follow him. That seemed like a dangerous choice. “I technically don’t start work until Monday, Damian. I-”

“I’ll add appropriate compensation to your first paycheck. Come now.” He strode easily through the back of the room to a door, somehow staying invisible to everyone around them, in spite of his massive size. He held open the door for her and ushered her into a quiet hallway, and towards an elevator. 

Once the doors had closed, he turned to her with his usual frown and glared. “I apologize for the surprise, but I needed to have this conversation sooner rather than later. Like I said, this is a bit of a time-sensitive matter, which is why I’m asking you before your official start date.” He paused and punched in a code that took the elevator to the executive offices. “There the potential of someone stealing money through a few off-shore accounts, and I am concerned they’re filtering it into a local crime organization.” 

“Oh.” Raven blinked and watched him carefully, trying to take mental notes. “And you don’t want this person to be alerted, or you’ll never get to the bottom of it, right?”

“ _ Exactly. _ ” His expression softened just briefly, as if he was appreciating her, and Raven felt her heart stop in her chest. It was one thing to have him glaring at her from behind too-thick lashes, but it was something different with him  _ gazing _ at her like she was something special. “And, if we’re wrong about it, we don’t want to accuse someone who is innocent. Tim and I don’t have time to run the numbers, but Tim trusts you, so I… I trust you too. You’ve always been clever and strong, and not willing to back down from a fight, and I’ve always admired that about you.”

“O-oh.” Raven swallowed, her eyes wide. Being trapped in the elevator with him was somehow worse than seeing him at a party. He felt like he took up too much space, and Raven could only stare into the lines of his face, and watch as his eyes searched her own. His lips twitched, as if there was something  _ hungry _ filling him, consuming him like a ravenous animal. Raven felt that same hunger start to eat at her, and she tightened her hands in her skirt, her heart threatening to burst from her chest. “I’m happy to help however I can.”

“Mm.” He continued to stare at her, taking a step forward to invade her space. Raven could smell the scent of spiced soap and feel the heat rolling off him. She tried to think back to that angry, glowering kid she had met nine years ago, but that image was wiped out by the sight of him in front of her. Damian had grown into a man, one who knew how to get what he wanted, and how to coerce her into doing whatever he asked. 

Raven swallowed, wondering how close she  _ was _ to doing whatever he asked. 

The doors opened and Damian pulled her from the elevator onto the empty, executive floor, motioning her into his office at the end of the hall. Raven had barely closed the door behind her before she felt Damian’s hands on her hips, the heat from his touch burning through her clothes and going straight to the space between her legs. Oh, god. Her body was starting to wake up, like she was moments away from exploding in a show of fireworks. She turned and looked up into his face, his eyes not quite meeting her own.

There was a long stretch of silence before he spoke, his voice low and gravelly. “I’ve had the biggest crush on you since I met you.”

Raven’s eyes widened and she stood there, unsure if she heard him right. Her heart felt like it had stilled in her chest, and she was waiting for the punchline to a joke played on her. “ _ What? _ ”

“I had hoped I wouldn’t feel this strongly after all those years we hadn’t really seen each other, but… I…” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as if he was fighting with a demon inside himself. Finally he met her stare. “Seeing you here, and knowing you’re going to be working with me, it’s…  _ difficult _ . Complicated. And I… I wanted to get you alone.”

“ _ Is _ there a secret file?” Raven wasn’t sure if she should be mad or not. She didn’t want Damian to think he could play with her like this, and she didn’t want to be a toy for him to take advantage of. “Or did you just bring me up here to try and seduce me?”

His mouth tilted to the side, as if there really  _ was _ a joke. “There  _ is _ a file I want you to look at…”

Raven heard him drift off, as if there was another part of that sentence. She waited for a moment. “ _ But? _ ”

The next thing she knew, Damian’s lips were pressed against her own.  _ Oh. OH.  _ She didn’t know quite what she was supposed to do when her CEO was currently kissing her like this, and Raven felt a shiver rip down her spine as all good sense seemed to escape her. Her hands buried in the lapels of his suit coat, trying to pull him closer as her mouth matched his in ferocity.  _ Fuck _ . Is  _ this _ what kissing Damian was like? 

Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she could barely make sense of anything.  _ God _ . She hadn’t been kissed in  _ years _ . And she hadn’t  _ ever _ been kissed  _ like this _ . Like the world was crashing around them, and the only things they could do to save themselves was makeout and hope for the best. She gasped against his mouth and Damian drew her lower lip into his mouth, sucking on it. His hands spanned her waist as he pulled her so close that she could feel every muscle twitch under the fine wool of his suit. 

He pulled away a few scant inches, nipping at her lower lip again. “But, I want to seduce you first.”

Her head felt dizzy, like she wasn’t getting enough air, and Raven teetered, suddenly unstable in her heeled shoes. Damian barely gave her a moment to collect herself before he was kissing her again, his mouth relentless as he stole kiss after kiss, his hands  _ everywhere _ on her. Tightening on her hips, sliding up her back, and tracing along her ribs. It was like he couldn’t touch enough of her, and Raven didn’t want him to stop. She  _ wanted _ him to touch every part of her, even if it probably wasn’t the best option. 

He pulled away again, still gasping. “I’ve wanted to do that for  _ years _ .” The lack of an apology wasn’t lost on her, but she ignored it. 

Raven knew this was bad, and as her hands flattened against the lapels of his jacket, she tried to count off all the reasons she  _ shouldn’t _ do this. She shouldn’t mix work and play. This was her  _ boss _ . She had an important job here and she didn’t want to lose it. This was her  _ best friend’s little brother _ . Didn’t he actually hate her? Isn’t that what all the angry glares and huffed breaths were for? 

But all of that seemed moot against the sudden burning between her legs, and the fact that based on the press of Damian’s erection against her lower belly, he was  _ very into this _ . Caution and worry could go fuck themselves right now. Without another word, she pushed his jacket off his shoulders and let it fall to the ground. Damian stared into her eyes, never looking away as he let her lead him deeper into the office, stopping only when his thighs hit the edge of his desk. 

“Well…” Raven reached up for the Windsor knot in Damian’s tie, loosening it in a clear invitation. If she was going to make a bad decision, it better be worth it. “… _ seduce  _ me then.”

Damian’s pupils widened, filling his eyes until only a thin ring of green remained. His lips pulled back in a low snarl, and before Raven knew what was happening, she was pinned on the desk beneath him, her skirt being shoved up to her waist. His thick arms caged her in, and he leaned over her, dropping his voice so low it was almost impossible to hear.

“ _ Let me work you good and hard first. _ ”

Her eyes widened and she felt him yank her panties to the floor with enough force to rip the delicate lace edges. Before she could question him further, his mouth was buried between her thighs, and Raven’s head tilted back against her shoulders as she tried  _ desperately _ to stifle a cry.  _ This was not what she imagined. _ Damian  _ devoured _ her, his tongue a weapon as he spelled out his own name against her clit, as his fingers thrust deep into her, rubbing along that rough patch of skin that had her seeing stars. 

_ Oh, fuck _ . 

_ Maybe it was better that she didn’t poke the bear. _

It had been years since she had been with anyone other than her trusty vibrator, and she could feel her body start to break down in seconds. Damian knew  _ exactly _ what he was doing, and what he needed to do to make her lose herself to him. It felt like he was going to consume her, and she was going to thank him for it afterwards. Her control was shattered and she was trembling around his shoulders, her hand digging into his soft locks and she pushed his mouth tighter against her clit.

“Damian… I’m gonna…”

He sucked  _ hard _ on her clit and she finally screamed, her head thrown back against the desk as she came. Universes were created and destroyed behind her eyes, and her body was shaking violently as she drowned in each wave of pleasure. She felt like she had been transported to another plane of existence, and she could barely register the sound of Damian unfastening his belt, and then roll on a condom. 

Somewhere in the back of her mind there was a nagging feeling that told her she should stop him. This was  _ not _ appropriate behavior for someone who was recently hired. He was  _ her boss _ . He was her best friend’s  _ little brother. _ Oh,  _ god. _ What would Tim say if he knew she slept with his little brother? But, then again, the thought of being thoroughly and utterly fucked by someone who  _ clearly  _ knew how to give the best head of her life seemed far more interesting. So, for right now she would let herself make these terrible decisions.

He pushed her skirt higher and smirked, leaning over her. “The thigh-highs are a nice touch.” His hand slid over the soft nylon, toying with the delicate lace at the top. “You should wear them more often.” 

She’d wear whatever he wanted if he promised to eat her out like that again. Raven felt him enter her in one swift movement and she tensed, her back arching off the wood of his desk as her hands scrambled to find purchase on  _ anything _ that would keep her pinned to this earth. Holy hell. He was  _ huge _ . Raven felt stretched, and her body was desperately trying to accommodate him, but  _ fuck _ . She really  _ was _ going to be consumed by him. She shuddered and lifted her eyes up to his own, watching as he leaned over her. 

“You feel amazing.” He kissed up her neck, sinking in another slow inch. “Like heaven.”

_ Same. _ Raven gasped and her hands found his hair as Damian lapped at her pulse. He nipped at her throat and pulled back before surging forward, and that was… Raven moaned and raked her hands down his back, adjusting her legs along his hips so that each thrust had her flying higher and higher. Sex had never felt like this before - raw and visceral, like she was a wild beast in a human’s body, trying to break free. Damian didn’t even seem to notice how he was making her feel, like the world was crashing around her. 

He grabbed her legs and hooked them in the crook of his arm, spreading her even wider so that he buried himself to the hilt. Raven threw her head back and felt fire burn her whole body as he fucked her hard enough to bruise. She didn’t even care. 

“ _ Touch yourself _ .” Damian’s voice was a low growl, but he didn’t stop the relentless speed of his hips. “ _ Play with your clit. _ ”

Without even questioning herself, Raven’s fingers slid along her clit and she rubbed quick circles over herself, gasping. She could feel the movement of his cock with every push as it felt both dirty and erotic at the same time, but she wasn’t going to stop. Damian grinned at her, the expression looking more like a snarl than anything else. 

“ _ That’s right. I want to see your fingers play with yourself. I want to watch you come. _ ” 

Raven whimpered and she threw her head back again, gasping. “Damian…”

“ _ Come on… come hard. _ ”

It was a command, one she wasn’t going to defy. Every muscle inside her tensed and she screamed again, feeling Damian continue to fuck her through orgasm. She could feel him shudder against her, his own muscles shaking as he cursed in at least three different languages. Her body shuddered and she felt as though she was thrown into an ocean during a storm, wave after wave ripping her apart. It seemed to stretch on for eternity, until Damian finally sagged against her, catching himself on his forearms. 

For a long moment the only sound in the room was their heavy breathing, and the rustle of fabric against skin. 

Raven closed her eyes and sighed. “ _ Fuck. _ ”

“Is that an insult? Or praise?” Damian smirked against her neck, obviously full of himself. Not that Raven was going to tell him otherwise. He  _ should _ be full of himself after a performance like that. She had never felt so…  _ drained _ , and in the best way.

She shifted against him, a soft flush working down her neck. “I… it’s been awhile since…”

“Oh?” He lifted his head and looked at her, curious. He took in the sight of her, his expression unreadable. “I wasn’t too rough with you, was I?”

“A little.” She shrugged. “But… I didn’t mind.” 

“Mm.” He paused, as if storing that thought away for another day. Slowly he pulled out of her and cleaned himself up, quickly redressing. 

Raven sat up and pulled her skirt back down, readjusting her nylons along her legs as she slipped her feet back into her heels. Catching her reflection in a mirror by the door, she realized she looked  _ ridiculous _ . Her hair was a mess, her make-up smudged, and she was pretty sure Damian had left a hickey on her neck. Her face fell and she turned and looked at him, but he was unrepentant as he straightened his tie.

“We should get back to the party.” Raven tried to smooth herself out so that she had some semblance of normalcy, but she felt…  _ wispy _ . Not entirely herself. It was like part of her still flying high somewhere far away, drenched in pleasure. She ran her fingers through her hair and watched as Damian’s eyes swept over her, as though he was seeing through her clothes to the rawest parts of herself underneath.

“Of course.” He straightened the cuffs on his shirt and picked up his jacket from the floor, pulling it on. “I’ll send you the entirety of the information on Monday morning. If you could review it and get back to me, that would be best.” 

“There really  _ is _ a file you want me to look at?” She lifted an eyebrow. “This wasn’t just an excuse to get me up here alone so you can have your way with me?”

Damian’s eyes met her own for a fraction of a moment, before he just adjusted his jacket and motioned for her to follow him. 

Raven just smirked and followed him out of his office. 


	2. Chapter 2

“ _ Miss Roth. _ ” 

Raven picked up her head from the spreadsheet she was working on as the low, dangerous voice of the company CEO rumbled through her whole body. She swallowed hard, and she could practically  _ feel _ the eyes of the other accountants poke their heads out of their offices to stare at their new coworker, and to gawk at the spectacle. Some of the younger woman whispered to each other behind their hands. Their CEO, after all, was usually the topic of gossip and conversation in the break room.  _ I wouldn’t mind getting called into the office by him. I bet he comes down  _ hard _ on you when you’ve been… bad. But looking at his ass is worth it. _

Not that Raven blamed them for talking. Damian  _ was _ attractive, even if he  _ was _ her best friend’s little brother. Her breath caught in her chest as he stepped into her small, windowless office, his face dark and unreadable. It felt like he took up the whole space, and he glanced around the room, eyes falling on the fake plant she kept in the corner. 

He frowned and met her stare again. “I need to see you in my office, Miss Roth.” 

She scrambled for a pen and paper. “Of course, sir. I’m finishing a few things right now, and I can be there in just a few-”

“ _ Now _ , Miss Roth. Get your files together, I need to discuss a few things with you and it cannot wait.” His voice rumbled like a warning as he moved out of her office and made his way down the hallway. 

Hurrying, Raven gathered a file from a locked drawer in the bottom of her desk and followed him to the elevator, feeling even more eyes poke out of their offices at her.  _ God _ , she must have looked like some freakshow for them - the new girl getting picked on by the CEO. She ducked her head and chased after him, two of her steps matched one of his own. This was  _ embarrassing. _ She was going to have to have a candid conversation with him about the proper way to get her into his office. Or, at the very least, start meeting with him  _ after hours. _

Raven waited until the doors had closed and Damian had entered in the code for the elevator to take them to his office before she spoke. “People are going to start gossiping if you keep doing that.” She sighed and lifted her eyes to his own, lips quirking to the side. “You could have just as easily sent me an email, you know.”

“And what was I supposed to say in the email, Raven?” He smirked at her, eyes still dark, but with a hint of playfulness coloring them. “I need you to come into my office right away? I’ve had an absolutely  _ abhorrent _ day and the only thing that can make it better is eating you out on my desk like you’re lunch?” 

_Oh._ _That’s_ what this was about. She swallowed again as heat curled up her neck, and her body tightened in a rush of excitement. Just the promise of his mouth between her thighs made her feel like she would drop her panties right here in the elevator. She certainly wasn’t _above_ it. Just last week he’d locked them both in a supply closet and teased her with his fingers until she came - _twice._ He was insatiable. Not that she minded. 

Raven tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear and she met his stare, trying to keep her face blank. If Damian caught on that she was just as excited about this as he was, then he would never let her live it down. “Is  _ that _ what this was about? I thought you wanted to discuss the special project you had me working on.”

“I do, actually.” He cocked his head to the side as he stared at her, the hint of a teasing smirk still playing at the edges of his lips. “But lunch first.” 

The doors opened to his floor - empty of anyone. He had yet to get a personal assistant, and scoffed at the idea of a secretary. So, his floor was always so quiet. He walked down the hall and led her into his office, closing and locking the door behind them. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she  _ knew _ that Damian could probably see how flushed she was and how her hands were shaking. 

This…  _ tryst _ between them had been going on for weeks now, since Damian had whisked her away from the party and fucked her senseless in his office. He had gone back to the party looking as pressed and polished as though nothing had happened while they were away for a suspicious length of time. Meanwhile, Raven looked practically  _ haggard _ , her hair a mess and her clothes wrinkled, with a careless, wistful smile on her face. Just  _ thinking _ about their first time left her breathless and desperate. She had gotten smarter about their  _ rendezvous  _ since then, but every now and again she still got a bit careless. 

Her eyes darted down to Damian’s tight, well-defined ass, and she wondered how beautiful it would look when he was pounding into her, her legs wrapped around his waist. Her face darkened and she swallowed another breath. She had a feeling she was going to be  _ very  _ careless today. 

Raven set the file on the edge of the table next to his desk and she looked over at him, lifting an eyebrow. “And what would you like from me?”

Damian sat down in his desk chair and stared at her. There was a long pause as he seemed to drink her in, trying to memorize every shape and curve of her body. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, but with all the weight of an undefiable command. “Undress.  _ Slowly. _ ” 

Raven’s shaking hands moved to her prim button-down and unfastened the buttons, pausing between each one, and pulling out the tails of her shirt. Across the room, she saw Damian sitting behind his desk, leaning forward as he watched her with rapt attention. Other than the shadows in his eyes, he looked just as unreadable as always, but Raven knew better. He was holding himself back, trying to keep himself from throwing her on the desk and taking her with wild abandon. Which had happened last time they had one of their unscheduled…  _ meetings _ . 

She pulled the shirt off of her before moving to the zipper on her pencil skirt, pulling it down slowly. Damian’s eyes swept down the length of her, lifting an eyebrow. “Are those new?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I needed new ones after you tore  _ two pairs _ .” 

Damian looked unrepentant, and smirked. “They were in the way. So, if you want to save that pair, I would take them off now.” 

Raven unfastened her bra and set it with the rest of her clothes. “You  _ could _ just be nicer to my things.”

“I  _ could. _ ” He shrugged. “Or you could start not wearing anything at all. It certainly would make things  _ easier. _ ”

“Absolutely not.” If she did that, she’d never leave his office, and neither of them would get  _ any _ work done. As  _ fun _ as all of this was, they still had a job to do. Her fingers hooked in her underwear and she slid them down her legs, leaving them with the rest of her clothes. She stood naked in front of him, a soft flush working down her entire body. He’d seen her fully unclothed several times before, but he still looked at her like it was the first time - that she was just as beautiful now as she had been then. 

“Come here.” 

Raven swallowed and approached the other side of his desk, standing next to him.

“Up.” 

She crawled up onto the desk, turning to face him, and Damian spread her legs so that they rested on either arm of his chair. She was spread wide for him and him alone, and it made her feel both powerful and vulnerable, like she could command him if she wanted, but was still beholden to his own demands. He circled her clit with his thumb and Raven twitched, a soft sound of excitement escaping. She knew that Damian would be careful, and he definitely wouldn’t let her walk away without making sure she was satisfied, but he was going to take all afternoon to get her there. 

He lifted his eyes to her own before kissing up the inside of her calf to her knee. “You look anxious.” He nipped at the inside of her knee and dragged his fingertips down the length of her legs. “Like your mind is somewhere else.”

“I have a report due to you by the end of the day.” She said, glancing down at him as he curled his tongue against a small scar on the inside of her thigh. “If I don’t finish it this afternoon, I’m going to have to stay late.”

“I’ll give you an extension.” He paused and spread her thighs wider, dragging her hips to the edge of his desk. “But, for posterity’s sake, why don’t you give me the overview now.” His mouth found a tender spot near the crease of her hip, and he sucked on the skin, likely leaving a mark. 

“L-like this?” Her voice shivered as his thumb circled her clit again. 

“I can multitask.” Damian met her eyes for just a moment before he dipped his mouth to her, flicking his tongue over her clit while his fingers explored her. He pulled back a scant few inches and smirked. “Can’t you?”

Not while he was giving her the best head of her life. No, not really. His tongue flicked over her clit again, and she sunk her teeth into her lower lip, trying to keep a scream from escaping. Her hips shifted and she buried a hand in his hair, uncertain what she should do. 

“After the industry strike was resolved in Germany, the production costs went up.” Her head fell back against her shoulders and she gasped as Damian wrapped his lips around her clit, sucking on it so hard that she was seeing stars. She was going to come in seconds if he felt his up. “Which was expected. However, since we were already paying well above the union wage, our public image actually improved.” 

He curled his fingers against her, rubbing against a spot that had her writhing against his mouth. Damian reached up her body to tease a nipple, rolling it between his fingers. Electricity snapped over her skin, and Raven could feel every muscle in her tighten, readying her for the kind of orgasm that would knock her senseless. How in the world was she supposed to go back to work after  _ this? _

“The consumer confidence in Wayne Industries has grown exponentially since then, not only with Germany, but with the rest of the EU.” 

He sucked harder on her clit and Raven fell back against his desk, her head tipping over the other side as she knocked his name plate and a stack of papers off his desk. Damian leaned forward and hooked her thighs over his shoulders, his mouth relentless and his fingers utterly ruthless as he continued to pleasure her. 

“With that uptick in consumer confidence and increase in profits, we should reinvest our funds and the Wayne brand into civic and philanthropic projects.  _ Fuck _ .” Raven’s back arched as he spread her legs wider, his tongue dragging up the length of her. He spelled out his name against her clit in double time, before wrapping his lips around her again. She was  _ so close. _ She was going to come  _ hard _ , and he had to catch her or Raven felt like she would fall into oblivion and never find her way back. 

“Doing that would increase our name recognition as well as offer opportunities to build a larger base of consumers in the EU.” She gasped as her muscles started to tighten again. “ _ Oh, God _ .” Her fingers tightened in his hair and she pushed her hips up into his mouth, feeling her orgasm start to build just below her navel before snapping to her clit. “Which could increase profits and revenue in the EU to roughly 169% of its current amount over the next five years, and  _ oh my god can I please come? _ ” 

His flick of his tongue pushed her over the edge and Raven nearly pulled his hair out as she practically rode his face through wave after wave of pleasure. Damian never let her leave unsatisfied, but today it felt like he was trying to utterly  _ destroy _ her. It felt like her skin was on fire and she tumbled through different worlds and dimensions, colors exploding as he continued to lap up every bit of her. She sagged against the hard wood of his desk before lifting her eyes to find the soft afternoon light filtering in through the window. She sighed in contentment and let her hand fall to the side. 

“If we choose to wait to make these decisions, our brand exposure will fall.”

Damian kissed along the inside of her thigh, his eyes meeting her own. “What would be the projected growth over five years if we didn’t invest in the projects?”

“Only 45% over five years.” Raven pushed at her hair and closed her eyes, every muscle in her body melting into the woodgrain of the desk. “Which is better that we make decisions now. Even a small decision, like supporting a new wing of the library in Munich would net us 10% growth this quarter alone. Larger decisions change that exponentially.”

“Mm.” Damian stood up and leaned over her, smirking. He made a show of licking his lips, as though he had just devoured something  _ delicious.  _ “Lunch was very informative. And tasted  _ amazing _ .” 

Raven lifted an eyelid before closing it, her head rolling to the side. “I can’t go back to work like this. I’m exhausted.” 

“If you want to lay naked on my desk all afternoon, I certainly wouldn’t complain.” His fingers were parting her again, tracing the length of her and circling her too-sensitive clit. He pulled his hand away and gave an almost-soft smile. “You can rest a few minutes on the sofa. If I keep you away for too long, your department is going to gossip like old church biddies.” 

“You know about that?” Raven flushed and sat up, looking at him. 

“Of  _ course _ I do. I also know they talk about my ass all the time.” He snorted and leaned up to steal a kiss from her, and Raven could taste her flavor still clinging to his lips. She sighed and moved her fingers to his tie, loosening the knot. Damian smirked against her mouth and pulled away. “I have a conference call in a few minutes. I didn’t know you were going to take so long to come, otherwise I wouldn’t have scheduled it so close to…  _ lunchtime _ .”

“I couldn’t focus when you were making me remember what my report said to you. Otherwise I probably  _ would _ have come instantly.” She paused. “You’re too good at this.” 

“You’re very responsive. You make it easy to make you come.” He kissed down her neck, pausing to flick his tongue against her pulse. 

Raven slid off the desk, settling her hands on either arm of his chair, and leaned forward. “I could  _ pay you back _ .”

His face turned blank, which she knew was an indication that he was seriously considering it. Excitement bubbled through her as she realized she was about to be so  _ very careless _ , but the thought of him fighting back his low, wanton moans as she wrapped her mouth around his thick cock… she shivered. It was one thing to have him send her to the stars, but it was far more intoxicating to know she had that same power over him. His lips twitched as though he was thinking of a reason  _ not _ to, but Raven made the decision for him anyway. 

She glanced at the clock behind him before she dropped to her knees in front of him, her hands resting against his belt buckle.  _ God _ , he looked amazing like this. As weak and vulnerable as she had felt to him. His thick cock was pressing against the neatly-pressed wool of his trousers, and she unfastened the belt buckle before unzipping his fly and letting his cock spring free. 

“Your meeting starts soon,  _ Mister Wayne. _ ” Raven opened her mouth and swirled her tongue over the head of his cock, watching his head fall back against the soft leather of his chair. “I’d hate for you to miss it.”

“You’re a tease.”

“You’re the one with a crush on me.” She wrapped her hand around the length of him, pumping slowly, trying to draw the sensation out. 

Damian lifted an eyebrow. “And you don’t have a crush on me?”

“I never said that.” She flicked the slit on the head of his cock with her tongue and he moaned, his fingers digging into the arms of his chair so hard he left marks. He was almost gasping, each breath straining the buttons on his shirt.  _ Heavens _ , that was a sight to behold. If he wasn’t such a massive beefcake, he wouldn’t constantly look like he was about to bust out of his clothing. Raven pumped his erection again, meeting his stare.

“So… you  _ do _ have a crush on me?” His eyes narrowed. “You’ve never told me.”

“Since you kissed me like the world was ending.” She ran the tip of her tongue up the underside of his cock, fascinated with the sudden shadows in his eyes. “Since you pulled me into this exact office during a party and confessed your feelings to me. Since you made me feel like I was the only woman in the world. Yes… I have a crush on you.” Her hand tightened around the length of him. “I thought that was obvious. I wouldn’t be crawling under the desk of just  _ any  _ CEO to give him head.”

There was a long pause as Damian seemed to mull something over in his head, and Raven continued to explore him with the tip of her tongue. Finally, he curled his fingers under her chin and tilted her face towards him. “How about boyfriends? Do you have many boyfriends you crawl under desks and give head to?”

She blinked and pulled back, cheeks flushing. “I don’t have one of those.”

“Mm.” He paused. “You do now.”

Raven’s heart pounded in her ears, and it felt like the floor dissolved under her feet. Was he suggesting that they were…  _ dating? _ “I… have a boyfriend?”

“If you want one.” Damian glanced away, and Raven could see the tips of his ears turn pink. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “If you’d prefer to keep our relationship more casual, I understand. I wouldn’t want you to feel like I talked you into anything you weren’t ready for.”

“I need time… to think about it, I mean.” Raven wasn’t sure why she was so nervous about it, but it felt  _ different _ to be  _ dating _ the CEO of the company she worked for. It didn’t matter that she had known him for years, and it didn’t matter that she had feelings for him, it was…  _ complicated _ . 

Sex was easy, especially when he was so damn good at it, but relationships were complicated and messy. And what would happen if things didn’t end well? Or worse, what would happen if things went  _ too well _ ? What would happen if she fell in love with him? Damian was handsome and powerful and he could have anyone he wanted - models, actresses, other heiresses to corporations.  _ Royalty _ , if he was bold enough. So, it went without saying that it would be inevitable that he was going to get bored of girl who liked things like high fantasy novels and consistent, logical numbers. And if Raven fell in love with him, she knew her heart would break irreparably. It was inevitable. 

Panic filled her chest and Raven stared down at his massive cock, suddenly uncertain of exactly  _ what _ she was doing. 

Fucking was easy. 

This was not. 

“Get dressed.” Damian pulled away from her, obviously sensing the tension inside her. He tucked his cock back into his trousers and stood up, helping her to her feet. His thumb rubbed a circle over the back of her hand, and his eyes traced her face for a moment before he let go. “I’ve got my meeting in a few minutes and you should get back to your office before the rest of the accounting staff thinks you’ve been handed a pink slip. Thank you for the update on the markets in the EU. They  _ were _ informative, but I look for your full report by Friday.”

“Of course.” Raven could sense the tenseness in him, but she didn’t want to address it. The awkwardness felt like a kind of punishment she needed to endure for being suddenly unsure of their relationship. She made her way to the pile of clothes on the floor and started re-dressing herself. “And in regards to the  _ other _ project you have me on?”

“I’ll read through your file and return it to you tomorrow.” He picked up the things Raven had knocked off his desk, and sat back down in his chair, watching her from the corner of his eye. “Thank you.”

His words felt warm and yet distant at the same time, and it hurt Raven more than she expected. Like their interaction was transactional, and yet somehow still meant something to him. Confusion swirled in the back of her head, clouding her thoughts and making her feel like something inside her was broken. She quickly re-buttoned her shirt and looked in the mirror to fix her hair, waiting for him to say something -  _ anything _ \- else. But he stayed quiet, even as Raven snuck out the door and walked down the long, empty hallway.

She called the elevator and went back down to her floor, trying to forget this ever happened. 


	3. Chapter 3

Damian poured himself a second glass of scotch - three fingers this time - and stared out at the twinkling skyline of the city below him. He knew he was out of sorts, and he had been that way for the past week. His skin felt  _ too _ tight, like he was stretched too thin and in too many directions, and every bone in his body was crying out, begging to be broken…  _ by her. _

_ How about boyfriends? Do you have many boyfriends you crawl under desks and give head to? _

Goddamnit. In what twisted world did he think asking her that was a  _ good _ idea? Of  _ course _ she ran away from him. It was such a dumb thing to ask - be his girlfriend while she’s sucking on his cock. He was such a damn idiot. Raven had tried to let him down easy, but he could see the confusion in her eyes and the fear as he tread into unknown territory. This tryst was just meant to be casual, easy sex.  _ Amazing _ sex, for sure, but nothing more than that. 

He ran his fingers through his hair and huffed, turning away from the windows and gulping down his scotch. He needed to keep it that way, by all means necessary.

“Are you even listening to me?”

Damian looked back at his phone, still on his kitchen table, and glared. “Yes. I heard you, Drake.” He took another drink from the glass and sat back in front of his laptop. “We’re seeing more unaccounted for deficits in other departments - missing receipts or proof of purchases. Money being moved and looking like it’s going back into the correct accounts, but nothing is actually documented. I definitely understand.” 

“So… what do you propose our next steps should be?” Tim’s voice drifted off, as if thinking. “How is Raven faring in her investigation? I haven’t heard from her in awhile.”

Damian rubbed his jaw, glancing through the spreadsheet Raven had given him. “She gave me the physical files of what she’s found so far. Much of the same conclusions we have, but she is still trying to get down on  _ who _ is actually doing it, and where the money is going. So far it’s been just shy of a million dollars, and she’s not entirely sure who would be able to hide their tracks so well. The money being moved is just small bits here and there. A thousand dollars, a few hundred, etcetera.” He looked back at his phone. “Small enough to go unnoticed, but frequent enough that it’s starting to add up.”

“Mm.” Tim sighed. “So… what? Should we try another tactic?”

“Raven is looking into this for us.” Damian tried to cover the hasty bite in his voice, but he knew it was too late. If Tim took Raven off this project, Damian would see her less, and he didn’t want to start fumbling for even  _ more _ excuses to get her alone. He already felt like he was scrambling to talk to her. “She is also working on her  _ normal _ work for the company, which is no small feat, and it’s only been a few weeks since we hired her. If we’re trying to get this taken care of, we need to give her a bit more time. We can’t expect her to have two full jobs and complete them both simultaneously.”

There was a long, heavy pause before Tim spoke again, choosing his words carefully. “Are you…  _ defending her? _ You don’t defend  _ anybody _ , Dami.”

Damian was thankful Tim couldn’t see him, because he felt a panicked flush flood his face.  _ Damnit. _ Tim was  _ far _ too observant for his own good. “ _ No _ . I’m only saying that we should allow her a bit more leeway.”

“You  _ are _ defending her.” Tim clicked his tongue and there was another stretch of silence, and then Tim let go of a soft, shocked gasp. “Are you two  _ sleeping together? _ ”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Drake.”

“You  _ are _ sleeping together! Oh my god, Dami! I thought you  _ hated _ her?  _ Loathed _ her entirely. The first time you met her, I thought you were plotting ways to murder her, and now you’re-”

“Drake.  _ Stop. Talking. _ ” Damian glared, his blood now boiling with shame and embarrassment. 

Had he been so obvious when he was younger? He had  _ never _ hated Raven. He wasn’t even sure he had the capacity to be mad at her, let alone hate her. No, he hated himself for being so weak that he was swayed by too-blue eyes and shiny, black hair. He hated feeling like he was going to swoon every time she laughed or smiled, or told an off-color joke and then felt embarrassed about it. He was young and didn’t know how to handle his mess of emotions, and so it was better to be angry then to actually tell her how he felt. 

“I’m ending this call.” Damian’s tone was clipped and he tucked Raven’s report back in its file. “We’ll talk about our plan of action on Monday.”

“I’m never going to let this go.” Tim’s voice held a teasing lilt to it. “I mean…  _ you _ . You actually  _ like _ Raven. I can’t…  _ wow _ .”

“Shut up.” Damian sneered even though Tim couldn’t see him. This was absolutely  _ mortifying _ . “We’re never going to talk about this ever again.”

“We will definitely  _ never _ let you live this down.” Tim’s tone was teasing, almost playful. “We’re going to be old men and I’m  _ still _ going to talk about how you were banging my best friend and somehow managed to keep it a secret from me for weeks.  _ Jeeze. _ You work fast, Dami. I’m almost impressed… I’m  _ more _ impressed you managed to not be a dick long enough to get her to actually sleep with you.”

Damian glared, a low growl escaping his throat. “I hate you.” 

“I know.” Tim finally ended the call, leaving Damian in heavy silence. 

Damian didn’t want to think about Raven right now. If he thought about Raven, he’d call her. And if he called her, he would find a way to go to her. And if he went to her, he’d likely never let her go. God. He was  _ pathetic. _ Damian ran a hand down his face and leaned back in his chair, sighing. He didn’t want to think about how she made him feel, or how much he  _ genuinely _ liked her. Her smile. Her eyes. Her humor. The way she flushed when he spoke so openly about wanting to eat her out. Fuck.  _ Her taste. _

Damian groaned and felt his cock stir as he thought about her body spread wide for him, dripping with need. He didn’t  _ mind _ giving head before. Girls liked it and he was good at it, but it was always just a means to an end. He wanted to get his own release, and it was easier if he got girls riled up first. But with Raven, it was different. He  _ wanted _ to eat her out for hours on end. He wanted her a mess of raw, trembling nerves before he even  _ thought _ about taking his own pleasure from her. 

His hand fell down on to his lap, and he rubbed his palm against the growing bulge of his erection. A soft moan escaped as he thought about her laying naked on his desk, his mouth buried between her plump, pale thighs. She was so damn responsive it was a treat to eat her out. He could make her come in seconds if he tried hard enough, but sometimes it was easier to draw out the pleasure and watch her whimper and writhe beneath him.  _ Beg _ a little.

Damian unbuttoned his pants and pulled out his cock, stroking it, his fist tight around his own length. 

He thought about the time he locked her in the supply closet and shoved her too-tight pencil skirt up above her hips, nearly ripping a seam in the back. That day, it was  _ definitely _ the stockings. They did it for him, as much as he didn’t want to admit that. She had dropped her phone in the lobby that morning, and without thinking about it, bent over to pick it up. Damian and at least five other men (and a few women) had stopped dead in their tracks as their eyes followed that heart-shaped ass all the way down to the edge of back lace encasing her upper thighs. 

Ah,  _ fuck _ . Damian’s head tipped back on his shoulders as he stroked himself harder, his breath coming in short gasps. 

He had tried to stave off his emotions that day, threw himself into his work, but it didn’t do him any good. All he could think about was how much he wanted to have her right then. A brief, purely professional email had coaxed her out of the office to the supply closet on the tenth floor - where no one ever was, and then Damian nearly broke the lock as he slammed the door behind her. She had tried to scold him, but it fell short the moment he touched her and found her  _ soaking _ with need. Whatever fight she had tried to hold onto seemed to dissolve in just few moments, and Damian pushed her underwear to the side, his fingers spearing her, thumb pressing against her clit. 

She came in moments, but it wasn’t enough for Damian, and he had to do it again, just to watch her eyes widen and her soft mouth make that pretty  _ oh _ shape. Raven had bit his chest to keep from screaming as he fingered her, leaving a red welt that he wore with pride. 

_ Fuck.  _ Those  _ damn _ stockings. He was going to fuck her in nothing more than those stockings and heels if she let him. 

Damian groaned as he felt his orgasm build in the pit of his stomach, his body practically shaking with his own need now. His hand tightened, moving at a nearly blistering pace as he thought about how good she felt when he was buried inside her, feeling her body react to every thrust of his hips and muttered word on his lips. She felt  _ amazing _ . Like a goddess who blessed him with the gift of her body, and-

Damian cried out as his orgasm came suddenly, his whole body shuddering as every muscle in his limbs tightened.  _ Fuck _ . How did even  _ this _ feel so goddamned good? Masturbating was fine and all, but it shouldn’t feel like he soul was ripped from his body, dissolved into starlight, and then thrown back inside him. His voice was weak as he sunk into the chair, sighing as he continued to twitch beneath his own touch. For a few minutes, it felt good to be flying this high, like his whole body was on another plane of existence. But… now he just wanted  _ more _ .

Maybe he should break his own rule and call her over to his apartment? Make it seem like a professional meeting, and then find a way to seduce her. Or, he could just eat her out again. Maybe eat her out while she sucked on his own cock with her too-soft mouth and full lips.  _ Ah _ . Now,  _ there _ was an idea… 

His cock gave a half-hearted twitch, and Damian shook his head.  _ Damnit _ , he was so pathetic when it came to her. Honestly, he needed to get his own desires under control, and stop acting like a horny teenager. Jesus. 

Finally, he reached for a few tissues and cleaned himself off before tucking his cock back into his pants. He  _ did _ have some work he should  _ actually _ finish, and getting distracted by fantasies and memories of Raven wasn’t exactly helping his productivity. He really  _ was _ pathetic.

His phone rang and Damian picked it up without looking at the screen, opening his laptop. “Hello?”

“ _ Damian. _ ”

Damian’s spine went rod-straight and he pitched forward, eyes wide. “Raven?” The way her mouth wrapped around his name worried him, like she was exhausted, or worse -  _ in pain _ . A painful surge of emotions flooded his body, and he bit the inside of his cheek, trying to keep his panic from invading his voice. “Are you alright?”

“No… I…” She was gasping, and her voice weak, the tones warbling in the back of her throat. There was a long breath and she took a shaky breath, obviously trying to calm herself down. She was trying to be strong and not show weakness to him, but that was only making Damian panic more, a million scenarios running wild through his head. What  _ happened _ to her? 

There was the sound of traffic in the background, and he could hear the  _ click _ of her heels on pavement as she stumbled. “My laptop. My laptop was stolen. Just… just a few minutes ago.” She took another shaky breath. “I… I was mugged.”

_ Fuck _ . Damian was already to the door, throwing it open and not bothering to lock it. “Where are you right now? Tell me where you’re at, I’m coming to get you.”

“I… I don’t know.” He could hear the click of her shoes again as she seemed to turn in a circle, likely looking for a landmark she could tell him. “He hit me pretty hard a few times. I fell. My head hit the pavement, I think. It’s fuzzy.” She shivered, her voice shaking. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have called you. I should have called the police, I think. I just… I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t… I didn’t want to be alone, without someone I knew. Someone I trusted.”

Fury, blistering and hot, rose up in his throat, and Damian thought he might fly into a blind rage, attacking whoever was closest. He was going to find whoever did this and murder them, without question. His hand clenched next to his side, and he gripped his phone so tight it threatened to break. “I’m on my way to you.” 

“I…” She paused. “Yes. Please.” 

“Don’t get off the phone with me.” Damian called the elevator, feeling like it was taking far too long. He’d have a sharp word with the manager about it as soon as he could.  _ Damnit. _ He needed to get to her  _ now _ . “Talk to me. What do you see? Are there landmarks you recognize?”

“Ah… the First Bank of Gotham. It’s the big one on Main? The white one.”

“Okay.” The elevator doors opened. Fuck.  _ Finally _ . “You’re just a few blocks from me. I’m coming to you. Don’t get off the phone.”

“Mm.” He could hear the exhaustion in her voice and that wasn’t good.

“Don’t fall asleep either.” Damian growled out as he felt the elevator take him down to the garage under the building. “You probably have a concussion. We need to get you to the hospital and get you taken care of.” Panic was filling him again, spreading through his chest like an invasive weed, choking out all of his good sense. He  _ hated _ feeling helpless like this, like there was nothing he could do to help her  _ right now _ . “Talk to me. Tell me what happened.”

“I was… I was at the office late tonight, doing research on the project you put me on. It was… just me in the department.” Her voice sounded weak, like her thoughts were fading in and out as she tried to recall too many things at once. “I packed my things and was walking to the train. And then I felt… I was grabbed and thrown to the ground. I tried to fight back, but he punched me and slammed my head back down.”

Damian pulled the phone away from his mouth and snarled loudly, letting off a string of curses that threatened to bring the building down around him. “And then what?”

“He grabbed my bag and ran.” She paused and thought about it, as if realizing something for the first time. “Just my laptop bag though. Not my purse or my phone. Or my jewelry.”

That wasn’t good. It meant that whoever was targeting her knew what was on that laptop. Damian’s chest tightened with worry. Maybe asking her to do this wasn’t such a good idea. He shouldn’t have put her in a position where she would have been targeted. It was too dangerous for her, if someone was trying to hunt her down. 

The doors opened and Damian went straight to his car. “I’m on my way. Keep talking to me.”

She sighed. “I’m really, really tired.”

“You work too hard.” He tried to keep his voice light, almost teasing. “You should take a break every once in a while.”

“I  _ do _ . I usually end up naked on your desk.” Her voice was breathy and playful, but he could hear the pain in the back, as if she was straining to keep herself together. 

“I didn’t mean like  _ that _ .” He pulled out of the garage and pulled onto the street. “You’re not coming into work this week.”

“I have a report-”

“I’ll give you a damn extension, Raven. Shut up.” He ran a light just as it turned red, ignoring the honking behind him. “You gave me the overview this week, and I’ll keep that in mind. I already had the conversation with Drake about what our next steps will be in the German markets. This week you’re going to stay home and rest, okay?”

There was a long pause. “You sound worried.” 

“I care about you.” Damian said it so blatantly that it practically rang through his chest like a clear bell, vibrating his whole body. Of course he would tell her like this, when his feelings were obviously the last thing on either of their minds. He just wanted to make sure she was safe. “And right now, you’re hurt. So for once, don’t try to be a damned hero, or a strong independent woman who doesn’t need a man. Just… just let me take care of you.  _ Please. _ ”

There was a long pause on the other line, and Damian’s foot slammed down on the accelerator out of fear. What if something  _ worse _ was happening to her? He couldn’t afford to lose her. He ran another red light, just barely clipping the back of someone’s bumper. Was he going to make it to her fast enough? Was she still conscious? Was-

“ _ Raven? _ ”

“Okay.”

He swallowed, every emotion inside him warring with each other. “Okay?”

“I…” She paused again, shifting. “I’ll let you take care of me.” 

Damian turned the corner and saw the bank, relief flooding him. His mouth continued to work on its own, saying words he knew he shouldn’t have. “Stay with me.”

“I’m here.”

“No.” He swallowed loudly, every bone in his body shaking with fear and anger, unsure what part of him he wanted to believe. “Not like that. Stay  _ with me _ . At my apartment. At least until you heal.” His voice was a low rumble and he pulled up along the curb, slamming on the breaks. “Until we found out who did this. Let me keep you safe.” 

Raven gasped, the sound soft on the other line. “ _ What? _ ”

Damian ignored her question. “I see you. Stay right there.” 

He threw open the door and saw her stumbling towards him, her phone dangling from her fingertips. Damian swept her close to his chest, looking down at her slight form. She felt so small like this, like she was delicate and breakable. How in the world did she manage to keep herself together, when he always felt like she might just shatter if he touched her wrong? Damian kissed the top of her head, his arms tightening around her waist as she pulled closer to him, gasping for breath. 

Raven buried her face in his chest, shivering as her hands tightened in his shirt. He ran his hands up and down her back, holding her close as he cooed into her hair, murmuring in a language she didn’t understand. 

_ I’ve got you, my love. I will keep you safe. Don’t worry, and don’t frighten me like this again. _

She took one, trembling breath and then let go of a sob that nearly broke his heart.And, he knew, in that moment, that there was nothing in this world that was going to tear him away from her. He was already in far too deep, so there was nothing left to do but drown himself in her. 


	4. Chapter 4

Raven was  _ utterly exhausted _ as she stumbled over the threshold and into Damian’s loft. It was inching towards three in the morning, her head was pounding, and every single detail she could possibly imagine had been given to the police three times over. She felt more than drained, she felt…  _ beat down _ . She felt like everything she thought she had control over was disintegrating under her fingertips, and there was no chance at her ever having that control again. 

She felt…  _ helpless. _ Which sickened her. 

Raven caught her reflection in a decorative mirror by the entry door, a spot on her face swollen and turning shades of red and purple. Embarrassment filled her, and she pulled up the hood of Damian’s sweatshirt, trying to hide her face from him. She had never been all that vain before, but something about seeing herself like this, made her feel like she wasn’t worthy of being looked at. Raven’s chest tightened and she felt  _ ridiculous. _ She should have been more aware of what was happening around her, of who might have been following her, of… of  _ anything _ at all. But instead she let herself get jumped, lost  _ all _ of her work, and had called  _ Damian _ of all people. 

Shame colored her cheeks and she glanced at Damian from underneath her eyelashes, watching him as he moved through the entryway. He was still bristling with anger, frustrated and upset that he hadn’t been there to protect her. She still couldn’t figure out why she had called  _ him _ . She should have called the police, or 911, or literally _ anyone _ other than him. But, in that moment, her whole body frantic and her mind racing, she knew she wanted  _ him _ . She wasn’t sure why, but she knew that having him by her side would give her the strength she felt she had lost. She wanted his warm arms around her, to feel…  _ protected _ again.  _ Safe. _

Of course… he was still her boss, and she had made an utter fool of herself, sobbing into his chest as he cooed at her in another language, smoothing her hair down her neck. She was  _ never _ going to live this down. She would never  _ let _ herself live this down. 

“It’s late.”

Raven looked up, feeling like his voice was a hot knife cutting through the cool darkness against their skin. Swallowing, she briefly met his dark stare, before glancing away when it became too much of a burden on her heart. 

“We’ll go and get some clothes and other things from your apartment tomorrow morning. But for right now, I have a few things you can sleep in.” His voice was too still and calm, like he was barely holding onto his own emotions, and it was unnerving. She wanted him to be as angry and frustrated as she felt, and to lash out in a way she didn’t feel like she had the authority to. She didn’t know how he could stay so  _ calm _ when she wanted to be upset.

Raven watched as his eyes met her own for another brief moment, before they swept down her body, landing on her legs. Her stockings were torn, holes and runs ripping up and down her legs when she had fallen onto the pavement. She had a few scrapes and bruises that the hospital didn’t think it was necessary to treat, but one of them had started to bleed again. All in all, Raven was  _ sure _ she looked like a complete and utter mess right now. No wonder he was annoyed with her. She shifted in her heels and glanced away, pushing at her hair.. 

“Don’t do that.”

Raven blinked and looked back at Damian, trying to decipher the weight in his voice. 

“Don’t look away from me, Raven.” He reached out and cupped her cheek with a feather-light touch, his eyes searching hers. “I can feel you try and pull away, and I don’t want you to. This isn’t your fault. Don’t ever think that this was something you had control over. This is nothing to be ashamed of.  _ You _ were attacked by some fucking asshole who thought he could have what isn’t his. This… this isn’t your fault.” 

Raven bit into her lower lip and lifted her eyes to his. Another weighty silence fell over them, and Raven realized how her bones felt like they were breaking under it. Her exhaustion filled her again, and she realized how much she wanted to just…  _ disappear _ . Everything felt like too much. She shivered and leaned into his touch, letting go of a soft sigh. “I’m… I’m tired.”

“I know.” He pushed hair out of her eyes and motioned for her to sit down on a plush bench behind her. “Let’s… let’s get you into bed. I’ll help.” 

Raven found herself wanting to protest, and tell him that she could take care of herself. But… there was something comforting in the idea that she didn’t have to do anything at all, and someone was going to take care of her. Her shoulders sunk under the weight, but she did as he instructed. She sat down on the bench, and watched with bated breath as Damian knelt down in front of her, pulling off her high heels. He set them to the side and leaned over her, pressing a barely-there kiss to each of her knees. 

His hands slid carefully up her legs, disappearing under the hem of her pencil skirt as he found the edge of her stockings. There was nothing sexual to his touches, just…  _ comfort _ . He pulled down one stocking slowly, pausing at her cuts to press soft kisses to them. It felt almost childish, but at the same time, the gentle touch seemed to take the sting away from her pain. Maybe it was better if she just…  _ let him _ . And then he did the same to her other leg. Raven watched as he stood up, his eyes dark, but his mouth was almost…  _ sad _ . Like he blamed himself for what had happened. 

“I…” His hand stilled on her ankle, the touch soft and warm. “I should have protected you.”

“You are.” Raven said it without a waver in her voice, and she lifted her eyes to meet his own, her hands shaking. Having him kneel in front of her, his eyes filled with all the emotions he couldn’t quite say, she felt oddly lost. She felt so confused, like every part of her was disintegrating under the weight of his stare alone, and she wasn’t even really sure what she should feel anymore. 

“You  _ are _ ,” she repeated, her words firmer. Her hand reached out to touch his shoulder, fingers burying in the soft fabric of his shirt. “I know you are. You came the second I called - without  _ question _ , Damian. You picked me up. You took me to the hospital. You held my hand every second I had to tell the police the story. You  _ are _ taking care of me. You’ve never even left my side. I… I don’t know what I wouldn’t have done if you weren’t here for me.”

Damian cursed under his breath and glanced away. “This would have never happened if I hadn’t put you on this stupid assignment.”

“Things like this happen every day.” Raven’s shoulders sagged, and she felt like her whole body creaked with the movement. “You did more for me in a few hours than most people have done for me my entire life.” 

“Mm.” His hum ended the conversation, and Damian finished inspecting the last few cuts and bruises on her legs, avoiding her curious stare. 

Raven sighed in defeat and ran her fingers through his hair, feeling his own hands skim up the curve of her legs again. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to release the obvious tension in his shoulders. “Let’s get you to bed. It’s late.”

Finally, Damian bent forward and gathered her into his arms, rising up onto his feet. Raven’s arms wrapped around his neck, her whole body straining with the movement. She wanted to tell him that she was perfectly capable of walking, but… he wanted to comfort her, and Raven was too tired to fight. She rested her head on his shoulder as Damian walked through his loft to his bedroom in the back. It felt private and intimate, like the rest of the world had somehow faded away outside of this space.

Without another word between them, he set her down on the edge of the bed as if she was delicate and breakable. Damian looked into her eyes, searching for a few, quiet moments, and then he reached out, carefully unfastening each of her buttons on her dress shirt. Raven looked into his face, her heart pounding as he undressed her, inspecting each inch of newly exposed skin as if he was looking for another scrape or injury. When he was satisfied that she was mostly fine, Damian pulled off the rest of her clothes and set them to the side, leaving her naked in front of him.

“I had always thought the first time I was going to be naked in your room, it was going to be under  _ very _ different circumstances.” Raven felt like her joke had no humor, and Damian turned to look at her with a steeled expression. Her shoulders hunched and she glanced away. “Sorry. Bad joke.” 

He huffed out a noise that almost sounded like a breathy chuckle. “Bad  _ timing _ .” He turned away from her and went to rummage through his dresser for clothes to give her. “I’ll get you some new clothes too. Make a list of what you need me to replace and I’ll make sure it’s taken care of.”

“Damian…” The weight in his voice nearly broke her heart in half, and Raven reached out for him, her fingers sliding down his back. “This isn’t  _ your _ fault either.  _ None _ of this is your fault. Neither one of us knew that this was going to happen when you asked me to start looking into this. And my work isn’t  _ gone _ , it was uploaded to the cloud. It’s just… now someone else has it. We’ll get it back, and I’ll get back to my work soon, and-”

“You’re worried about your work?” Damian turned and looked at her, his eyes narrow. He looked like he was  _ bristling _ , anger coursing through him so fast and so hot, he didn’t know how to cool down. He pitched forward and glared. “You were  _ assaulted _ , Raven. Someone chased after you, attacked you,  _ hit _ you, and you’re worried about a stupid laptop and some damn files going missing?”

The heat in his voice made her shiver, and Raven lifted her eyes to his. She swallowed slowly, trying to understand the frustration inside him. “You’re… not?”

“ _ No _ .” He cursed in another language and stepped towards her, closing the space between them. “ _ No _ . I’m worried about  _ you. _ The rest of the world could burn for all I care. It’s replaceable.  _ You _ are not.” His hands gripped a t-shirt so tight Raven thought it might tear in two. “I don’t give a fuck about the laptop. The minute the idiot turns it on we can track his IP. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I could have lost you tonight, Raven.”

“Oh.” She looked up at him, feeling naked and vulnerable as he stared at her. “I…”

“I  _ care _ about you, Raven. The rest of this doesn’t matter.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, before offering the t-shirt to her. “Do you need help putting this on?”

She flushed and shook her head, letting his words stew in her mind.  _ I care about you _ . He had said those words to her over the phone, but they didn’t resonate the same way they did now. Raven felt like her whole body was shaking, trembling as each syllable rang through her mind like a crystal bell. It meant something  _ different _ , something heavier and more tangible. It felt like that day in his office when he had insinuated that he wanted to  _ date _ her - that whatever this was between them, it was more than a fling. It was  _ more _ than something physical. 

She struggled pulling on his shirt, but finally got it over her head and watched as he turned away from her, rubbing his face. “I’m going to sleep in the guest room tonight-”

“ _ No _ .” Panic welled up in her chest again, and Raven scrambled to grab him. Her fingers tightened around his wrist, making him look back at her. He blinked once, waiting for her to speak, and Raven’s voice was so small, she was worried that he might not hear her. “I don’t… I don’t want to be alone. Not after tonight. Just… for a little bit, can you-” She cut herself off, wincing. The last thing she needed was to make a fool of herself right now. 

Damian stilled, as if shocked she would say something like that so openly, and his eyes searched her face. The world was quiet for a few, beautiful moments, and nothing existed except the two of them. Finally, he let go of a deep breath and leaned over her, pressing his forehead to her own. “I don’t want to leave you alone.”

She waited for a qualifier, but nothing came. He didn’t want to leave her alone  _ ever _ , and that struck a chord inside her. The darkness of the night, and all of the pain she had endured, seemed to rush right up into her chest, like floodgates opening. She could feel the smack of a fist against her face, her head hitting the pavement, the rip of the fabric as her laptop bag was yanked from her hands. It felt like she was reliving in over and over and over, until the moment repeated itself on an infinite loop. She hadn’t been so frightened in her life, and she had  _ never _ felt so helpless.

Shivering, Raven felt hot and painful tears slide over her cheeks, and she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She needed him now more than she had ever needed  _ anyone _ in her life. He felt warm and comforting, and for a blissful few moments, she felt  _ safe. _ Slowly, gently, Damian wrapped her body tight in his arms and pulled her into bed, somehow finagling the covers around them. He whispered to her in another language, his words muffled by her hair. Part of her wanted to know what he was saying, but part of her didn’t care. All that mattered was that he was here. He was comforting and soft, and she buried her face in his chest, sobbing until her body finally succumbed to a deep, dreamless sleep. 

-

Raven didn’t wake up until afternoon the next day, when the bright light spilled through the window. For a long moment she didn’t know where she was, or remember what had happened, but eventually things started clicking into place. Right. She was here, in Damian’s loft. Heat filled her face as she remembered Damian holding her all night, his arms tight around her as he murmured soft words to her. It felt like a dream or a nightmare - something that had happened far away, tucked in secrets of her memory - but it was real. She  _ had _ been attacked last night, and Damian had come to her rescue. 

She rolled over and buried her face back into the small mountain of pillows, trying to let the last bit of her tension dissolve. She pulled the comforter up over her shoulders and sighed. Damian’s bed so so damn  _ soft _ , it was like laying in a cloud. She could stay here forever if he would let her. Silence settled over her and she heard his soft murmuring from the living room, down the hallway. 

“...turned on the laptop yet. But when he does our software will ping it. You can track the IP from there, right?” Pause. “Good. The police are going to keep us updated with any leads, and I already have Grayson pulling a few strings in the department. So, I’m going to check on Raven and I’ll let you know how she is.” Pause. “No. Don’t come over. I’ve got it.” Pause. “ _ Shut up _ .”

Damian ended the call and sighed, and Raven heard his soft footsteps walk back towards his room. She turned and looked at him with a quiet him, trying to read through the steel emotions on his face. A heavy silence settled over both of them before Raven broke it. “Good morning?”

“Afternoon, actually.” Damian sat next to her on the bed, brushing her hair out of her eyes. His touch was gentle, as if he was still worried she was going to break. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired.” She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. “My head still hurts.” 

“I know.” His thumb brushed under the bruise on her cheek, the touch gentle. “The doctors told us that was going to be normal. You’re not supposed to do anything for a few days. So, just rest for a little longer while I finish some things up. I’ll order us some lunch and then we can go get some things from your apartment.”

“Mm.” She felt a blush work up her neck. “You don’t have to do this. Take care of me like this, I mean.”

“I do.” He said it so simply, like there was no other response he could give. His fingers curled under her chin. “You told me you would let me take care of you. Last night, and you can’t take it back. So, you’re going to be staying with me until I know for  _ sure _ you’re safe, Raven.”

She snorted and opened her eyes, a dark cloud of worry and guilt filling her. She chewed on her lower lip and met his stare. “And what if that never happens? What if I’m never safe again?”

“Then I guess you’ll just have to stay with me forever.” He smirked and leaned over her, smelling of fresh coffee and his spiced soap. “Not that I mind.” 

Her breath sputtered in her chest and she swallowed a hopeless sound that threatened to escape. What  _ was _ this between them? And how in the world was she supposed to interpret it when Damian talked to her like…  _ that? _ He at least had the good sense to look a little sheepish. He rubbed the back of his head and glanced away before getting back to his feet. “I’ll order us some lunch while you take a shower. I left out some sweats for you to wear until we can gather your clothes from your apartment.”

Raven nodded and watched him leave the room. Her head seemed to pound, echoing through her entire body, and she stared at the open door for a long while, uncertain if she understood exactly what she felt. Her entire world felt a bit like it had been turned on its end, and it was hard to think that  _ this _ Damian was the same grumpy, skulking teenager she had met years ago. He seemed so…  _ soft _ , and caring. Her heart felt frantic in her chest, not like it was about to burst free, but more like it was fluttering wildly. Like she didn’t fully understand all of the emotions building inside her, and she definitely didn’t understand Damian.

This was confusing, and frustrating, and she felt…  _ lost _ . What in the world was she supposed to think about any of this? Damian should have been fawning over models and glaring at the reader from the pages of a  _ Forbes _ article, not trying to soothe her after what happened last night. She sat up and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. This was…  _ weird. _ That’s all she could say. The whole situation was weird. Her head was jumbled, and her heart was even worse. Everything felt upended, and quickly spiraling out of her well-placed control. 

She pushed at her hair and made her way to his attached bathroom, turning on the massive shower. She winced as she stepped under the spray of water, feeling it sting her skin. The heat felt too hot, and somehow not hot enough. She wanted to wash every memory from her body, like it would erase what happened. Raven watched as the dirt still clinging to her washed down the drain, and every time she closed her eyes she heard the smack of a fist against her face and her head against the pavement. Pain rattled her and she felt her back fall against the smooth tile of the shower. Shivering, Raven sunk down onto the floor and she pulled her legs close to her chest. 

“ _ Raven. _ ”

His voice was a low rumble, barely audible over the pounding of the water against the tile. Raven picked up her head to see Damian standing outside the glass shower enclosure, and watched her. His eyes were dark and laced with…  _ pity. _ She didn’t want to see pity in his stare. For the first time since they had started this tryst, she felt truly  _ naked _ , as though she needed to try and cover herself. Raven looked away, wincing as he took a step towards her.

But, Damian didn’t say anything at all. He simply shed his own clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor, and stepped into the shower. There was a long stretch of silence as they both sat under the stream of what felt like twenty different showerheads, until he reached down and helped her to her feet. 

Raven looked into his eyes, but he said nothing. He didn’t  _ need _ to say anything. Everything was whispered in the long stretches of silence between them. Damian just reached for his spiced soap and started lathering her up. His hands were large and calloused, and yet somehow, each touch against her felt like silk. He washed her slowly, his fingers careful to avoid any wounds that were still on her skin. Every pass of his hands meant more than just him cleaning her, it was as though he was trying to wash away the memory of the night before. It was a ritual, something to take away the lingering sting and fear, and remind her that he was here to protect her.

Damian took his time as he cleaned her thoroughly, inspecting every cut, every dull spot on her skin, every bruise, until Raven felt like she was a new person standing in front of him. She felt like he was making her whole, repairing all the little cracks and filling her with  _ him _ . Damian shampooed her hair, his fingers massaging the expensive eucalyptus and mint shampoo into her scalp. She let go of a soft sigh, and Raven found herself leaning up to place a soft kiss on Damian’s wet jaw. 

He glanced down at her, his fingers stilling in her hair. She watched as he swallowed, and it felt like everything was changing between them. It felt like everything  _ had already been _ morphing into something new and different, and it had felt that way for a while. Since they had first kissed those few weeks ago. It felt weird and uncomfortable, but not  _ unwelcome _ . She liked the idea that things were changing, she just… she just didn’t know where that change would take her. Or him. 

Damian leaned down and captured her lower lip between his own, his hands releasing her hair to slide down her back. He pulled her close, still careful to avoid her injuries, and looked down into her face, searching her eyes. Raven leaned back up and kissed him again, her heart fluttering as every part of her seemed to wake up under his touch. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him even closer, feeling like every ache dissolved under the soft press of his lips against her own. His body was warm and slick with water, but it didn’t feel erotic. It felt like… like  _ home _ . Like somewhere she belonged. 

His kisses were steady and slow, never pressuring her for more and never taking more than what she offered. He was waiting for her to come to him, but was content if they stayed just like this. Raven appreciated his patience, indulged in it even, and they kissed for what seemed like forever, until the water started to cool and she shivered against him. 

Damian pulled back and looked deep into her eyes, cupping her cheek. “We should…” He licked his lips as if not sure what they  _ should _ do. A weighted silence fell over them again, waiting until he spoke. “We should get out. Lunch will be here soon.” 

“Mm.”

But neither of them moved. It was like they were frozen to the spot, and they both wanted to live in this moment forever. It was safe in this moment, safe and warm, and she was protected from her fears. Maybe… this was what she needed more than anything. Maybe what she really needed was someone to finally take care of her. 

Even if it  _ was _ her best friend’s little brother. 

Damian finally kissed her one last time and stepped out of the shower, reaching for his towel. “Take your time and finish up, then come into the kitchen when you’re ready, _ habibti _ .”

The word rang through her head and Raven turned and looked at him, barely seeing the suddenly sheepish look on his face. She blinked, not knowing what the word meant, but somehow knowing it sounded  _ soft _ and  _ endearing _ . She liked it - the way the word played on his full lips and danced along his tongue, and her stomach did a small twist at the sound of it. He met her eyes through the steam in the room, and he held them for a long moment before redressing and walking out of the bathroom.

Raven felt like her whole body learned to soar. 


	5. Chapter 5

Damian never expected her apartment to be so…  _ cute. _

Okay, maybe not  _ cute _ , but definitely  _ feminine _ . He looked around the small, studio apartment, neatly furnished and organized, but designed with small, almost delicate touches everywhere, a whole jungle of plants in the window. A framed picture of her and Tim sat by the aloe, their faces smushed together as she took a selfie of them both. Guilt and confusion speared his stomach and Damian flushed as he tried not to think about admitting to Tim that now he was…  _ something _ with his brother's best friend.

_ You are sleeping with her. _

_ Sleeping _ seemed a bit of a stretch. He wasn’t exactly sure  _ what _ he was with Raven, only that he knew he wanted to be something  _ more _ . He rubbed the back of his neck and looked back at Raven as she leaned over a small duffle bag, carefully organizing her things. A few of her outfits were spread out over her bed as she packed them away. She wasn’t bringing much with her, but then again… Damian’s eyes swept over her, still dressed in his sweats, and he felt his heart do something strange in his chest. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight against him, if only so he could protect her. He wanted to have her feel safe with him, and to not worry about anything at all. 

But, Raven… Raven wasn’t sure what she wanted them to be, and he didn’t want to push her to find out. He could be patient, and he wanted to show her that he wasn’t  _ just _ her best friend’s little brother. He was a  _ man _ , and he was very,  _ very _ much in love with her. 

“I should bring my work clothes.” 

Her words pulled him out of his thoughts, and Damian kept his face expressionless as he watched Raven filled a small duffle bag with a few pants and skirts, button downs, and-

_ Oh. _

He couldn’t help the smirk that spread across his lips. _Stockings_. He sidled up behind her, pretending to only be _mildly_ _curious_ as he glanced over her shoulder. “I haven’t seen these before.” He reached around her hip to finger a pair of nude stockings with black lace around the thighs and a pitch-black backseam. _Sexy_. “I feel like I would have remembered.” 

He  _ definitely _ would have remembered.

She flushed and pulled them out, setting them on the bed. “I bought those on a whim, I don’t wear them to work.” She paused, thinking. “Actually, I don't think I've  _ ever _ worn them.”

Damian kissed along the shell of her ear, humming low in his throat. His mind was suddenly filled with a hundred different images of her wandering around his apartment in nothing but heels and thost stockings, and his cock twitched against his leg. He nipped at her earlobe and dropped his voice low. “ _ So… don’t wear them to work. _ ” It was an unspoken invitation of where she  _ could _ wear them, if she wanted to. Raven shivered against him, and Damian reached back around her to shove the stockings back in the bag. “But you’re still bringing them.” 

Raven looked over her shoulder at him, pursing her lips, but she didn’t fight him on it, and Damian felt like he had won at least some small battle. Stepping back, he kissed her cheek, feeling her skin flush under his touch. He glanced around her apartment again. "Did you want me to pack up anything else? Your shampoo or make up?”

Outside a car door slammed and he watched as Raven stilled, her eyes wide for a long, heavy moment. "No, I've got it." 

Damian glanced over at her and realized her hands were shaking. His mouth slid into a frown and he stepped up behind her again, resting his hands on her wrists as a shirt fell into the bag. He waited until her hands stilled before he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against him, cooing softly into her hair, speaking in another language. 

" _ You're safe. You're safe, my love. I've got you. _ "

She leaned back against his chest and let go of a soft sigh. "I'm sorry, it's just-"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Raven. You have  _ no reason _ to explain yourself to anyone, least of all me." He pressed his lips to her temple and held her close, waiting until her breathing calmed and she turned in his arms. She stared up at him with wide eyes, as if trying to decipher his emotions. He looked into her eyes for a long moment, searching there to make sure she was alright. “Tell me what you need. What can I do to help you?”

She flushed, and glanced away. “You’re already doing enough. Being here is enough. Opening your home to me is enough. If you try to do any  _ more _ than what you already have, I’m going to feel like I’m indebted to you.”

Damian made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat. He should have been able to do more than just help her pack and have her sleep in his bed. He was a goddamned  _ Wayne _ he should have been able to bring down the entirety of Gotham if he wanted to protect her. But here she was, trying to tell him that she was okay, even though he knew she wasn’t. At least not yet. Damian felt his well-placed mask start to fall, and Raven lifted her hand, smoothing her fingertips along a crease in his brow. Her touch was enough to make him feel like  _ everything _ was going to be okay, and he wasn’t sure if he liked feeling so utterly…  _ helpless _ around her _.  _

“Stop worrying.” She gave him a teasing smile and leaned up to press a soft kiss along his jaw, her other hand tangling in the front of his shirt. “You’re going to give yourself wrinkles if you keep your face scrunched up like that.”

_ She _ was going to give him wrinkles. He leaned down and pressed his forehead against her own, letting go of a soft sigh. 

“Oh.  _ Mr. Wayne _ .”

Damian jerked at the sound of someone calling his name from the doorway. He turned around and watched a small, mousy guy walk into Raven’s apartment. His eyes flicked across the stranger’s face, and Damian felt something in his bones  _ rattle _ , like a warning. This kid was unassuming, with unkempt hair and rumpled clothes, but there was still  _ something _ about him that set Damian on edge. Damian took a half-step back from Raven, his hand still resting on her hip in an almost-warning. 

“Ah, Damian. This is Steven, my neighbor.” Raven tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and offered a thin smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, obviously as uncomfortable with him as Damian was. “Steven works in accounting too.”

“Just payables, sir.” Steven rubbed the back of his head and glanced out the window. “Nothing fancy. Take the bill and pay it.”

Damian’s jaw tightened at his flippant tone. Something  _ really _ didn’t feel right. He glanced down at Raven who had now wiggled out of his grasp and was currently shoving the rest of her things into the bag, avoiding the conversation. It was at least reassuring to know she didn’t like him either. Damian huffed breath out of his nose and turned back at Steven, who was looking increasingly nervous.

“I… uh… I didn’t know you and Raven were-”

“We’re not.” Raven interjected, turning around to stare at Steven. 

“-friends?” Steven looked surprised, his eyes darting between them both. 

Damian sighed and met Raven’s stare before she flushed and turned back around, shoving the rest of her things in her bag with significantly less care. “We’re friends.” Even if that’s  _ all _ they were at the moment. Damian was surprised his voice managed to stay so calm, and he glanced around the room again, as if bored. “Raven went to school with my brother, Tim. And we became friends shortly after.”

It wasn’t a lie. It may  _ not _ have been the whole truth, but also not a lie. Damian watched as Raven went to the bathroom and grabbed things from her shower, putting them into a plastic bag and shoving that into what little space was left in her bag. 

“Ah.” Steven pressed his lips together, before glancing over at Raven, as if suddenly realizing that she was packing a bag. He shook his head and took a step forward, and it took every ounce of control for Damian not to block his path. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, watching as Steven moved through the space like he recognized it. His casual movements only made Damian more aggravated.

“Hey, it looks like you’re going to be gone for a while.”

Raven looked up, stared at Steven for just a moment, and then looked at Damian, as if hoping to find some kind of excuse there. He turned and stared at Steven, lifting an eyebrow. “Raven is going to be working on a special project, so she won’t be at work for a while.” There. Somehow both vague and direct, and hopefully enough to discourage Steven from asking any more questions. “Is there something you need her for?”

Steven shook his head and gave a weak, lopsided smile. “I mean… I’ll miss having coffee with you in the breakroom in the morning?”

Damian felt something possessive twist in his chest and he glanced back at Raven as she forced a small chuckle, the sound not quite matching the expression on her face. She looked as though she were trying to keep something from him, that she didn’t want to share anything at all with Steven - including morning coffee. Damian let that spot of jealousy dissolve. That was reassuring. She turned back to finishing packing. “I’ll be back before you know it.” 

“Good.” Steven shifted and looked away, pretending to be interested in her plants. “Hey. Do you mind if I borrow your wi-fi? There was a mix-up with my bill this month, and they’re not turning my internet back on until it gets settled. Netflix has a new series I wanted to watch and the password you gave me a few weeks ago doesn’t work anymore.”

“I change it every few days for security.” 

Damian smirked as he glanced at her. Smart girl. 

Raven didn’t look up from her bag, obviously contemplating the social implications if she said yes or no. “I suppose so. I won’t be here anyway, so you can use it.” She finally zipped up her bag and went to write down the wi-fi password on a notepad before handing it to him. “Here.”

Steven looked relieved and took the notepad from her. “Thank you so much, you’re a lifesaver.”

Raven gave him another thin smile, as if she was being nice because she didn’t know another way to respond to him. Damian grabbed her bag from the bed, tilting his head to the door in indication that he was ready to go. She nodded and started ushering Steven out the door, muttering a half-hearted goodbye as she locked it behind her. Damian waited until Steven disappeared into his own apartment before he let his guard down, and it wasn’t until they were alone in Damian’s car that Raven finally spoke again. 

She let go of a deep breath and tilted her head back, staring at the ceiling, trying to contain her emotions. “He just gives me the creeps.” She shuddered and looked away. “At work he’s always finding ways to talk to me, ask me about my work, what I’m doing and if I’m looking into anything new for the company, it’s just…  _ ugh _ .” She ran her fingers through her hair and chewed on her lower lip, thinking. “He just throws me off. That’s one thing I won’t miss about being gone for a week.”

Damian snorted and started the car, trying to pin down his jealousy before it got out of control. “Do you want me to have him fired? I might know someone with the authority to do it.”

Raven glanced at him from the corner of her eye, barely stamping down a smile. “Was that a  _ joke? _ From  _ you? _ ”

Damian shrugged and merged into afternoon traffic, his heart turning over in his chest. She was always so good at disarming him. “I can be funny sometimes.” 

Raven laughed, the sound so musical that it eased the tension growing between his shoulder blades. He wasn’t sure what it was about Steven, but something seemed…  _ off _ , and Raven felt it too. It was at least  _ something _ to keep an eye on if they were  _ both  _ uncomfortable. He glanced over at her and smirked. He’d worry about that later though. Right now, the only thing he wanted to think about was how  _ warm _ her laughter made him feel. 

-

When they got back to his loft, Damian offered Raven the guest bedroom out of polite respect, but in truth he was hoping she would turn it down and sleep with him. He barely contained is own stupid grin when she asked if she could stay  _ with _ him in his own room. Damian quickly cleared out a drawer in his dresser and left space in the closet for her. He gave her time to get settled, and when she returned to the living room to rest while he worked, Damian found himself sneaking into his own closet and appreciating the sight of her clothes nestled against his own. 

He liked it. He could… get used to being surrounded by her things, and herself. Well, at least he  _ would _ , if he could just figure out what the hell they  _ were _ . That weird space they lived between now was weird and uncomfortable. 

Not quite lovers. 

Not quite dating.

Not quite…  _ anything _ , really. 

With a sharp sigh that rattled his bones, he ran his fingers through his hair and returned to the living room to find Raven curled up on his sofa, buried under two blankets and six pillows.  _ Fuck _ . She was  _ cute _ , and he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to feel about that. Raven had made clear that she wasn’t entirely sure what they were either, or even if she wanted to explore it yet. Damian knew how he felt, he just wasn’t sure what to do to help her figure out her own heart. He ran a hand down his face and whispered a breathy curse, the sound jolting her awake. 

Raven sat up, rubbing at her eyes with the heel of her hand. "Sorry."

Damian sat next to her on the sofa, offering a small, comforting smile. "What for?"

"Sleeping."

"You're allowed to sleep.” He glanced down at her resisting the urge to press a kiss to the crown of her head. That  _ definitely _ wouldn’t help her figure out her own feelings, even if it made  _ him _ feel better. “In fact, you’re  _ supposed _ to sleep. Doctor’s orders." 

He felt Raven lean into him, her eyes staring at nothing in particular, just…  _ looking _ . There was a long pause and Damian had thought she'd fallen back asleep, but she spoke to him, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don't have to do this, you know." 

Damian hummed. "You're right. I  _ don’t  _ have to." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "But let me do it anyway."

She smiled and looked up at him, before leaning up and kissing his jaw. Damian felt his heart turning over as he swept a lock of hair out of her face, his fingertips lingering on her cheekbone. He didn't know what to say to her to have any of this make sense. His own feelings for her felt fathomless, but also confusing,  _ especially _ after what happened to her last night. He wanted to protect her more than he wanted to protect anything in his life. The rest of the world  _ could _ burn for all he cared, as long as he had Raven. Nothing else mattered.

"This is complicated, isn't it?” 

Damian lifted an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. 

"What this is between us, I mean. You asked me to be your girlfriend  _ while _ I was about to…" She struggled to find a term that didn’t make her flush. “...get you off. There’s a lot of raw emotion between us-” 

_ That _ was putting it  _ mildly _ . 

“-and I know that. I know that sometimes, when we’re together, it feels like you and I are going to burst into flames. It’s hard to explain, and it’s hard to  _ feel _ . But…” She sighed and glanced away, looking more defeated than he could have imagined. There was another long pause and she leaned back into the sofa, her face a blank mask. "You should be dating models and duchesses, and jet-setting halfway around the world."

" _ What? _ ” What the hell was she talking about? He looked down at her again, confused.

"Do you even realize how bizarre this is? Damian, I'm an  _ investigative accountant _ . It’s not exactly a  _ glamorous  _ job. I live in a studio apartment on the seventh floor in a building that doesn't even have an elevator. I order cheap take out because I can't cook, and you…” She pitched forward and held her head in her hands. “…you want me to be your  _ girlfriend. _ "

He wanted her to be his  _ wife _ , but that was way farther down the line. Damian watched her profile, never looking away as she tried to make sense of everything that had happened. 

"I'm not a good fit for you." 

"You  _ are _ ." Damian let go of a long sigh and shook his head, feeling exhausted. Raven wasn’t the type of person to question her feelings like this, but obviously something was eating at her. He pressed his lips in a thin line and stared at her, trying to piece together everything they had talked about into something that made some kind of sense. Or, at least, something they could discuss, rather than talk about in these vague, nebulous terms. “What is making you think about this now?”

“You, Damian.  _ You. _ You’re taking care of me. You’re opening your home. You gave me a  _ drawer _ . You’re investigating what happened before the police even do.” Raven finally looked over at him, shaking her head. “I don’t know what this is between us. We have chemistry, and we obviously have feelings for each other, but…” She let out a groan of defeat, uncertain with her own words. Her shoulders slumped and she looked defeated. “I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I don’t know what I want anymore… except  _ you _ . I know I want you, and I don’t know if I  _ can _ have you.”

_ That _ hurt. Damian couldn’t look away from her, it was like her whole body was  _ glowing _ . Her eyes looked too wide, her lips too full, and everything about her screamed for him to touch her. He wanted to protect her - to hold her in his arms until he finally has an answer for everything. He wanted her to trust his feelings, and to know they were true. He wanted to be everything for her that he should have been years ago when he first fell in love with her. Damian slid his fingers along the line of her jaw, his thumb brushing against her lower lip. 

“Raven, I-”

His phone went off, and Damian let out a low grumble and he pulled his hands away. She sighed as he went for his phone in the kitchen, uncertain if he should ignore it or not.  _ Tim _ .  _ Great fucking timing. _ He let go of a low curse and answered the call. “ _ What? _ ”

“We got a ping.” Tim’s voice was low and dark. 

Damian stiffened and looked back at Raven, who was watching him from her spot on the sofa. His heart slammed against his ribs, threatening to break them.  _ Finally _ . Some answers that could actually  _ work _ with. “From where?”

“ _ Raven’s apartment _ .”

Wait.  _ What? _


	6. Chapter 6

It felt like she had been here for three weeks. This had been her fourth trip to the precinct, but this one had been longer than the others. She’d come in for another round of questioning, and while she wasn’t a suspect for the theft of money from Wayne Industries, her knowledge about the moving funds had been invaluable while the detectives were putting together their case. And, at least she trusted this detective. 

Dick gave her a thin smile before turning back to the stack of papers in front of him, reviewing his notes during their previous questioning. 

Raven felt Damian’s hand rest heavy on her thigh, warmth and comfort spilling from his touch. She found her heart turning over, and she wanted to lean into him, if only to keep herself together. He sat next to her, and offered her strength when she was fighting to keep herself together. Damian had been with her through every step of the questioning and the preliminary investigation, and not once had he left her side. He was…  _ there _ . And he was there  _ for her _ , helping her through the very tough questions, holding her hand when she needed it, and just  _ supporting _ her _. _ And not once had she wanted him to leave. 

The weight of their last conversation settled over her for the hundredth time that night, and it kept echoing in the back of her mind. Damian wanted to date her -  _ seriously _ \- and she didn’t really know what to say to that. On one hand, she knew that she wasn’t CEO-girlfriend material, but on the other hand… she  _ liked _ Damian. A lot. A lot more than she thought she ever would. Damian was kind and gentle, and he looked out for her. He trusted her with some of his biggest secrets, and Raven felt like she could be herself around him. She  _ wanted _ to date him, she just didn’t know if she  _ could _ . 

She glanced over at Damian, as his hand tightened on her knee, flushing slightly before looking back into Dick’s face as he flipped through the notes on the case. Her head was starting to hurt again, and Damian reached over the desk to flick the light off. The pain in her head eased a little, and his thumb rubbed circles over her knee. 

Dick glanced up at Damian, and his stare flicked between the two of them before looking back at his work. He said nothing, but there was something in the way he lifted his eyebrow that spoke  _ volumes _ about the exchange. Raven tried to feel embarrassed, but she couldn’t find it in her. What was there to be embarrassed about? Damian was taking care of her, and for once it felt good to have someone next to her. She watched a smirk pull at Dick’s mouth as he flicked through papers. 

“Thank you again for the information you’ve provided on your research with the corporate theft at Wayne Industries. That helps a lot.” Dick flicked through a few papers. “We had been following money getting funneled into the Black Mask organization, but we weren’t able to get to the source of where the money was coming from. With what information we have and what information you have provided us from your own investigation, we have a solid case against Steven.” Dick smiled at Raven and leaned back in his chair. “I always knew you were the smarter one between you and Timbo.” 

Raven flushed at the compliment. “I mean… I  _ am _ an investigative accountant. My job is to investigate.”

Dick laughed. “Yeah, yeah. I know.” He pressed his hands to the top of the desk and his smile turned soft. “I do appreciate all the work you did. You really have managed to save Bruce’s company and Dami’s reputation. I’m impressed.”

“My reputation was never at risk.” Damian huffed out a soft curse and shook his head. “Are we able to go back to her apartment?”

Dick shook his head. “It’s still a crime scene…  _ technically _ . And we don’t know who knew about Steven and what he was doing. His connection with the organization isn’t  _ entirely _ clear yet, only that he was deeply involved in procuring funds. Based on his previous jobs… this is something he’s been doing for a while.”

Raven winced as Dick skirted around the question, and hinted at something heavier: Raven  _ could _ potentially be in danger, just by interrupting the flow of cash into the organization. She chewed on her lower lip and felt her head start to throb again. Her injuries had mostly healed, but she noticed anytime she started to feel a bit stressed, her head would start to ache again. 

“I’m sorry, but… it’s probably too dangerous to go back, even once we clear the apartment for you to return.” Dick paused and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Do you have somewhere to stay? Like a family member or close friend? If not, I can make a request for some temporary housing at a hotel. At least until we know for sure that you’re safe from retribution.”

“She’s staying with me.” The weight in Damian’s voice ended any other question Dick could have thrown at them, and his hand tightened on her thigh. Raven glanced over at Damian, color flooding her face. Having him say it  _ like that _ , in front of his  _ family _ , it meant that he was trying to make this  _ official _ . Whatever it was between them, now it was something with a  _ name _ . A  _ relationship _ . Her heart twisted in her chest and she felt that little hum of excitement pulling at her. She… she  _ liked _ that thought. 

“ _ Ah _ .” Dick scribbled in the file, his smirk growing into a bright grin. “ _ Noted _ .”

“Don’t look at me like  _ that _ .” Damian cursed under his breath and leaned forward, adjusting his jacket. “You’re being ridiculous. I am just helping out an employee who put herself on the line to protect our company.”

The tone in his voice gave  _ everything _ away, and Raven wanted to bury her face in her hands. The whole family was going to know. The whole family was going to know and they were never going to let it go. 

“I didn’t say anything at all.” Dick closed the file and leaned forward. “I’m just noticing that you’re being  _ awfully _ welcoming to your employee. You don’t even invite  _ Bruce _ over. The only person I’ve seen you  _ willingly _ allow at your flat is Alfred.” 

Damian grit his teeth, obviously trying to find some way to make this seem  _ normal _ . “Well,  _ she _ caught the trail, and she did all the research, and Raven is-”

“I’m his girlfriend.” 

Raven wasn’t sure what made her say it so blatantly. Maybe it was that everything had overwhelmed her over the past few weeks. Maybe it was that Damian had been with her every step of the way. Maybe it was the fact that he could make her heart melt and her body burn at the same time. Maybe it was the fact that she knew she was falling for him. She let her hand rest against Damian’s and looked into Dick’s face, hoping she didn’t look as panicked and flushed as she felt. Next to her she could feel Damian stiffen for just a moment before relaxing, his eyes meeting hers before looking back at Dick. 

“She’s my girlfriend.” The soft note of pride wasn’t lost on Raven, and she felt her stomach do flips. 

“ _ Girlfriend _ . Wow. Okay. So… you  _ don’t _ hate everyone who isn’t Alfred?” Dick’s eyes lit up, as if he had just realized something. “Oh, just  _ wait _ until I tell Jay…”

“ _ Don’t _ .” Damian groaned and his head fell into his hands, the tips of his ears turning pink. “Don’t say anything at all. Not to our brothers, sisters,  _ or _ father.” 

Dick made a noncommittal noise, and he leaned forward a bit, looking between them. “So… how long has this been going on?”

“Recent.” Raven rubbed at her neck and glanced away.  _ Very _ recent. 

“Mm… okay, I won’t pry.” Dick looked practically  _ giddy _ as he stood up. “Well, I guess congratulations are in order.”

“Please don’t.” Damian stood up and helped Raven to her feet, ignoring the excited expression in Dick’s eyes. “In fact, don’t say anything at all and let us leave, if you would.” 

“You’re free to go.” Dick shrugged and leaned back on his heels, watching them. “Thanks again for taking the time to come down again. I know it’s probably inconvenient, but we really appreciate all your insight. I’ll give you a few more days to…ah,  _ adjust _ .” The inflection wasn’t lost on Raven and her blush darkened as Dick’s eyes met hers.. “And then I’ll be contacting you with any more questions or clarifications, if you don’t mind. I’m sure Dami’s lawyers will be reaching out to you too.”

“Of course.” Raven followed Damian out the door, listening to the soft whispers that circled around him. She heard the distinctive sound of a picture being taken, and realized that Damian’s hand rested along the small of her back. A spear of panic shot through her and she glanced up into Damian’s unreadable face, his lips twitching.  _ Oh no _ . Those pictures were going to show up on tabloid sites in  _ minutes _ , she could just feel it. 

Damian led her out to his car and helped her inside before getting behind the wheel. The air was still within the car, and Raven looked around to see if there were any paparazzi, but they seemed to have dodged a bullet there. Raven let go of a long sigh, sinking into her seat. There was a long moment before he started the car, and looked over at her. 

“So…  _ girlfriend _ .” 

Raven took a steadying breath, and met his dark eyes. For a moment she debated rescinding the admission, but… she  _ couldn’t _ . She knew she couldn’t. Not when he was with her like this, and not when her heart was practically screaming out for him. She shifted, but didn’t look away. “If the offer is still on the table?”

“It is.” Damian cleared his throat, slowly releasing a held breath as his hands gripped the wheel. He looked out the windshield, watching as the sun started to sink behind the top of the skyline. “Of course it is. But… what made you change your mind?”

“You.” Raven shook her head and sighed, admiring the strong line of his profile. “You haven’t left my side since this started. You’ve given me space to try and figure this out, and you never laughed at my insecurities. You’ve supported me and held my hand and let me cry and… I feel like I can be vulnerable around you. I feel like I can be more of myself around you, and you’ve accepted every part of me, regardless of whether or not it fits into your seemingly perfect life. You’ve made me feel like you want this to be more than just a quick fuck.” 

Damian nodded once, processing her admission. He licked his lips before meeting her eyes. “Would you like me to tell you how I feel?”

“At your loft.” Raven flushed and glanced over at him, settling her hands in her lap. “Tell me back at your loft, because… I have the feeling that once you tell me, I’m going to end up tearing your clothes off. And… I’d rather do that in private.”

Damian smirked and started the car. “Well… at least you’re honest.” 

-

The door locked into place behind them, and Damian didn’t even have a chance to take the jacket off her before she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Heat sparked over his skin before he could stop it, and he felt himself falling deeper into her kiss. It was honest and rough, and it burned in the best way. Raven pushed herself up on her tiptoes and drew his lower lip into her mouth, sucking. He groaned and pushed her back against the wall, cushioning her head with his hand. Well, apparently he wasn’t going to get to tell her his feelings right away… but… there was time later.

_ After _ he fucked her senseless. 

Raven groaned as her fingers buried into his short hair, and she pulled herself up along the length of him to kiss along his jaw.  _ Oh god. _ That felt good. Damian leaned into her touch, his hands dipping under the hem of her shirt to run his fingers along a patch of her soft, delicate skin. Raven hummed in appreciation, and she slid her thigh along his. Damian groaned and hitched her thigh up his hip, slipping under the hem of her skirt to find  _ lace _ . She was wearing  _ stockings _ . Of  _ course _ she was. A low growl slipped out and he pushed her skirt up a few scant inches to steal a glance at the smoke-gray lace wrapped around her thighs. 

“I needed to look professional when I gave my statements.” Her words were breathy, and Damian didn’t buy them for a second. She was  _ planning _ on this. On wearing these damn things and driving him  _ mad _ . 

His fingers slid higher, finding the delicate silk of her underwear and toying with it. Raven let go of a sigh so deep it rattled  _ him _ . He looked into her eyes and his heart stopped. It had only been a week since they had last had sex, but it felt like  _centuries_. He pushed her underwear to the side and ran his thumb along the length of her, finding her  _ deliciously _ wet. Oh, he needed her  _ now _ . 

Raven reached up to unbutton his own shirt, her hands shaking as she pushed herself up to steal another kiss from him. Damian cursed as she gasped against his lips, pushing him back and further into his apartment. 

“Bedroom.” She ground out between kisses, finally unfastening all of his shirt buttons and dropping the garment on the floor. “ _ Now _ .”

He couldn’t agree more. He needed to be inside her or he was going to lose his damn mind. They left a trail of clothing as they made their way into his bedroom. They toppled over the covers, never breaking their kiss as Raven’s hands dipped into his boxers, grabbing the length of his cock and pumping him almost frantically. Damian groaned, the sound muffled by her neck.  _ Fuck _ that felt good - he small, cool hand wrapping around his hot erection. He pushed into her touch, and Raven gave a deep, breathy sigh as she pushed his underwear down his legs. 

“How are you so damn  _ gorgeous? _ ”

Damian’s hands paused in her hair and he pulled back, confused. “What?”

“You.” Raven’s hand found his cock again and she pumped it slowly, her mouth moving down his chest, leaving small, red lovebites. “You’re so  _ beautiful _ .” She threw her weight around and forced him on his back as she crawled over him, knees settling on either side of his hips as her hand continued to pump his erection.  _ Holy hell _ , that felt  _ amazing _ , and  _ gods _ was she a  _ sight _ . She still wore the smoke-gray stockings, and nothing else and Damian thought he might come from the sight alone. How in the world could she be so  _ damn _ beautiful?

She swirled her thumb over his head and watched with rapt attention as he moaned, thrusting into her touch. “You’re beautiful and you want me to be your girlfriend.”

“You  _ are _ my girlfriend.” He tried to grin, but he was sure that it looked more like a snarl. Just having her hands on him made him feel like he was losing his damn mind. How in the world was he lucky enough to have her? “You told my gossipy brother you were my girlfriend. It’s official now. You can’t take it back.” Her hand tightened and she twisted her wrist as she continued to pump him. The sensation was driving him absolutely crazy. Damian moaned and pushed up into her touch again. “ _ Fuck _ . Yes. Keep doing that.” 

Raven leaned over him, her mouth moving back down his chest and leaving a trail of fire. Her lips paused over his heart, and he heard the words fall from her mouth before she could stop. “ _ I might be falling in love with you _ .”

Damian’s mind barely registered what she said before her mouth covered one of his nipples and bit down. Oh,  _ fuck _ . That felt amazing. His whole body tensed and twitched, and he looked up into her eyes as he watched her crawl over him, hands on his shoulders. Trying to find a response to her was futile. She looked like some kind of sorceress, ready to command every part of him, and he was going to let her. He was thrown back by the darkness in her own eyes, drenching her in shadows and lusty promises. 

Damian’s own brain seemed to stop working as he looked at her, her admission  _ finally _ processing what she said. He blinked and watched as her tongue traced an old rugby scar, before moving to his other nipple. Raven.  _ Raven _ was his girlfriend. Raven was  _ his _ girlfriend. And she had just admitted that she was starting to fall in love with him.  _ This was a dream, _ and he didn’t ever want to wake up from it. 

Raven sunk down on his cock, her head thrown back as another low moan escaped her throat. Damian’s hands slid up over her stockings and bit into her hips, likely leaving bruises. He’d worry about that later. Right now, he needed to  _ fuck her. _ She just pulled herself up on her knees and sunk down again. Damian cursed loudly, throwing his head back against the bed. This felt _ amazing _ . He leaned up into her movements, stealing a kiss on every downward thrust. His head felt fuzzy, filled with a hundred things he wanted to say, and a few he knew he  _ should _ . Raven was gasping, close to coming, and he slipped his hand between them, toying with her clit. 

“I have been in love with you since the moment I met you.” Damian watched as her eyes widened, and he felt her muscles tighten around his cock. “I’ve been thinking about you every day since you first stayed over for Christmas break nine years ago. I love your laugh, and your smile. The way you’re analytical, but you let yourself have enough fantasy to make the world feel magical.” He saw the flush work down her neck and fan out over her shoulders, and Damian rolled her under him, grabbing her wrists and pinning them above her head. With another curse, he hitched her thigh up over his hip and speared his cock deep inside her. Raven’s back arched and she met every one of his thrusts, crying out. 

“I love your tenderness, and your kindness. I love your tilted smile, and your off-color sense of humor. I love that you enjoy reading and easy mornings. I love that you trust me with you during your most vulnerable time.” He leaned over her looking into her eyes as all of his secrets poured out from between his lips. Damian knew he should stop himself before he said too much, but… he just  _ couldn’t _ . He needed to tell her everything, even if he was buried inside her. “I love  _ you _ , Raven. Everything about you.”

She came suddenly, her body tightening around his cock, and Damian allowed himself the simple joy of watching her drown in pleasure before he joined her. Electricity danced along his skin and he cried out, burying himself deep within her. He came hard, listening to her cries and gasps. It felt like the world was stopping beneath his feet, stuttering in time with his heart. Her hands wiggled free of his grip and she dug her nails into his shoulderblades and he continued to fuck her through their orgasms, letting everything disappear as wave after wave of pleasure swallowed them both. 

Finally Raven’s hands fell to her sides and she let go of one last moan. Damian loved the way she looked - thoroughly fucked and in love, and still wearing those stockings. His heart swelled in his chest as her eyes opened, and a fresh flush slid down her neck. Somewhere inside him, he knew he should have felt some kind of shame at how easily he shared his thoughts and secrets, but he couldn’t find it. Raven knew the truth now, and he would live with whatever came from that. 

“I… I didn’t know.” Raven reached up and ran her fingertips down his spine. Her eyes never left his. “You’ve been holding onto this for nine years?”

Damian felt the tips of his ears turn pink, and he looked away, coughing. “I was… waiting until the right time to tell you.” 

Raven sighed, the sound soft and content, and she ran her fingers through his hair. “So… when I’m about to have the best orgasm of my life…  _ that’s _ the right time to tell me?”

He laughed, feeling oddly giddy and at ease. Damian nipped at her neck and slid from her body, is cock twitching with the movement. She felt so  _ damn _ good. He fell onto the bed next to her, his arm wrapping around her waist as she curled into him. “The best orgasm of your  _ life? _ Really?”

“You’re  _ very good _ at giving me the best orgasm of my life.” She snorted, her hands combing through his hair. “ _ Often _ .” 

“You know I’m going to hold that over you, right?” He kissed along her neck and leaned into her, enjoying the feeling of her trembling beneath his touch. Raven ignored his comment and halfheartedly searched for the edge of the comforter, pulling it around them both. Damian pulled her closer to his chest, stealing another kiss. “ _ Best orgasm of your life _ . I know I can do better.”

Raven looked up at him, blinking. “You will actually kill me.” 

He laughed again, drawing her deeper into his arms. Raven stilled, her breath evening out as they both drifted down from their high. Now, they needed to face the reality of what all of this meant. Silence settled over them, and it was a weight that they knew they needed to contend with, but didn’t know how. Her hand traced aimless patterns over his chest, and she finally looked up at him, chewing on her lower lip. 

“Now what? My apartment isn’t safe, and I don’t know what… what we should do  _ next. _ ” She shifted, and Damian could hear the worry in her voice. It broke him in the worst way, and he pulled her closer to him, trying to find a way to protect her. 

“You stay here.” He said it simply, with no gravitas and no other promises. This was her home as much as it was his. “For as long as you need.”

Her hand splayed out on his chest, just over his heart. “I… can’t stay here forever.”

Damian scoffed. “Why not?”

Raven gave an incredulous laugh. “You want me to live with you?”

“I want to marry you.” Damian winced the moment he said the words. It was one thing to think them, but it was something else to say them out loud when they were both basking in the soft afterglow of sex. He felt Raven pull back, but didn’t stop her from moving away from him. The words were already out in the open, and there was no way he could take them back, so he might as well admit to them. “Not… not  _ now _ . Not tomorrow. Not even any time soon, but…  _ eventually _ . I want to marry you.” He took a deep breath and let it out, choosing not to meet her stare. “It’s the reason I want to date you.” 

“This… this is a lot to take in, Damian.” Raven didn’t leave the bed, but she sat up and stared down at him. Her cheeks were flush and she was chewing on her lower lip, obviously trying to process what he said. “How long have you felt like this?”

He looked up at her and gave a thin smile. “A while.” 

Raven looked away, letting silence settle over them. It felt like it stretched on forever, and Damian knew that her mind was working through all of this. How could he be so  _ careless _ with his emotions? He should have been smarter, but letting her know that he loved her had opened the floodgates. Now he wanted to tell her  _ everything _ , and he  _ shouldn’t _ . He needed to be smarter about this. 

“Raven, I-”

“Okay.”

_ Wait. What?  _

Damian sat up, his eyebrows knitting together. He processed that one word, trying to decipher exactly what she meant. “ _ Okay? _ ”

Raven shrugged and pulled her knees against her chest, looking over at him. She looked a little nervous, but there was something inside her that was quelling that fear. Instead, she gave him a small smile and nodded. “Okay. We date and… we see where this leads.”

He blinked, trying to fully process what she just said. She didn’t… she didn’t say  _ no _ . She didn’t push him away. She didn’t panic. She just said…  _ okay _ , like she was scared, but somehow still ready to explore this with him. Damian sat there in shock, watching as she stepped out of the covers, looking around the floor for something to wear, before giving up. She moved to the doorway to the bathroom, and Damian finally cleared his head enough to jump up and stop her. He needed to make  _ sure _ , he needed to know the truth, or he was always going to wonder. 

“ _ Okay? _ ” He leaned over her, his hand on the doorframe. “What-”

“You love me, and I’m  _ definitely _ going to fall in love with you. It’s only a matter of time.” Raven reached up and trailed her fingertips down the side of his face. “So… if you think you can marry your brother’s best friend, and someone who currently has the ire of a crime organization, and who thinks that a hot night out is a bad movie on Netflix and take out… then I’m willing to fall for you too.” She leaned up on her toes and kissed his lower lip, tasting of joy and nervousness and something he couldn’t quite place. “Now, get out of my way. I need to clean up.”

Damian stumbled back to let her by, watching the plump curve of her ass before she closed the door in his face. He stood there, her words storming through his mind, until he felt his lips split into a grin so wide it hurt. 


	7. Chapter 7

“How are you feeling?”

_ That _ was a loaded question. 

Raven looked up from her notes and rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache start to hum at the back of her head. God. She felt exhausted, like she was breaking apart and wasn’t entirely sure how to put herself back together. She was supposed to give a deposition tomorrow with the lawyers, before the court date was set, and she almost felt too drained to worry about it. There was the meeting with the CFO in two days, and then she had to talk to marketing about how to approach the integration of Wayne industries into the German market within their proposed budget, and then… there was the fact that her apartment was ready to move back into.

That weighed on her more heavily than anything else she had to deal with. 

On one hand, she liked the thought that she was free to move back into her apartment and back into some semblance of normalcy. But… on the other had… she found she  _ liked  _ living with Damian. He was easy to live with - patient and kind, gave her space when she needed it, and knew when to pull close when she needed that too. Plus he was  _ clean _ and organized and he  _ cooked _ , and she couldn’t appreciate all of those qualities enough. Of course, as an added bonus, the sex with him was  _ fantastic _ . Raven nearly sighed just  _ thinking _ about it. Damian had been an attentive lover before, but now that she was living with him sex was just…  _ ugh _ . He could take her to the stars in seconds, and Raven would beg him for more. He left her feeling exhausted and spent, and she loved it. 

The more time she spent around him, the more she realized that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to go back to her own space. It would feel so…  _ lonely _ without him next to her. And  _ that thought  _ was a box of emotions she wasn’t sure if she was ready to open yet. Raven had told him weeks ago that it was only a matter of time before she fell in love with him, and she had meant it. She just didn’t realize that she would fall in love with him  _ so _ quickly. But, then again, she also knew that there was no hope for her. Not when he gave her that secretive smile he reserved  _ just _ for her, and the way he spoke so soft and kind, and held her so close… she was destined to fall for him  _ way _ too quickly. 

Her eyes swept up to his for just a moment, needing the comfort he offered. “I’m… not looking forward to the deposition tomorrow.” Raven turned back to her computer and opened her notes, looking through them as Damian approached her. “I know I’m prepared for everything I have to present, but… it feels like I might not be prepared enough. That there may be something else I should try to show.” 

“Mm.” Damian came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders, digging his thumb into an especially tight knot near her neck. She resisted the urge to moan.  _ Oh. _ That felt  _ good _ . Her eyes closed and she let a soft sigh escape, her head tilting back against the chair to rest on his abdomen. He dug his thumbs even deeper into her shoulders and a soft, low moan finally escaped. Raven could feel his chest shiver with a chuckle. 

“You can put those notes down, Raven. You’ve gone over them a hundred times, and you  _ are _ ready for tomorrow.” He kissed the back of her neck, his thumbs slipping down the tense muscles along her spine, finding another knot and trying to work it free. “You’ve spent the last two months preparing for your deposition tomorrow. You don’t need to worry, I know you have everything you need. All you’re doing is stressing yourself out even more, and I need to have you at the top of your game tomorrow. You’re the person who is going to put this crime organization in its place.” 

Raven opened her eyes and looked up at him. In the thin light of late evening, he was outlined by deep reds and oranges, and he looked…  _ heavenly _ . He looked like the kind of person she would fall for, without question. Far too handsome for his own good. Too tall, too dangerous, too smart -  _ too much of everything _ . 

Her stomach turned over and she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, watching him. “I’m allowed to return to my apartment tonight.”

“Oh.” His hands stilled against her back, and he pulled back, his expression guarded. She’d been with Damian long enough to know that he was trying to protect her from his emotions. He shifted and met her stare with one of his own, cryptic ones. “And… how do you feel about that? About going back there?”

“I’m not sure.” Raven knew it was best to be honest with him. She rubbed the back of her neck and closed her laptop, turning to look at him. She needed to be careful about what she said next, or it could prove dangerous for both of them. “Mm… it’ll be lonely. Just me and my plants… no one else.” Her fingers tangled in his belt loop, as if to pull him closer, but she didn’t move. “I’d miss breakfast coffee and late night reading sessions. But… I suppose I would have my plants, right?” 

“Mm. Would you now?” Damian nodded once, lifting his eyes to the ceiling as if he was thinking. He ran his thumb along his jaw and finally met her stare. “You know… you don’t get very good sun with that one window in your apartment. A little in the morning, and that’s it, right?”

Raven nodded, pretending as though she didn’t know where this conversation was going. “Yes?”

“Mm…” He shifted and looked back at her, his eyes dark. “I have really good light in my living room. It would be a shame if the plants weren’t allowed to flourish in such a small space. You can bring them over if you want.” He curled his fingers under her chin and tilted her face towards his, his smirk practically melting her heart. “Of course you’d be invited to come too.”

Raven smirked and leaned up to him. “How magnanimous of you.” She pulled his tie, bringing his face closer to her own. “Is that a  _ formal _ invitation to come live with you,  _ Damian? _ ”

He smiled and placed his hands on either side of her chair. “It  _ is _ ,  _ habibti _ .” 

She  _ loved _ the endearment on his lips. It felt sacred and special and  _ theirs _ , and she wouldn’t trade it for the entirety of the world _.  _ “I could… think about it, I suppose.” She leaned up and gave him a soft kiss on his lower lip, her tongue tracing the curve of his full mouth. “I mean… most of my things are already at your apartment. It would be such a pain to move everything back to my own place.” 

Damian leaned closer to her, his arm slipping around the dip of her waist and pulling her up to her feet. He was unable to keep the excited expression out of his eyes, and he looked almost…  _ giddy _ . He leaned forward and nudged her nose with his, playing with her. “Is that a  _ yes? _ ” 

“It is.” She pressed another kiss to his mouth and stood up on her tiptoes to meet his stare, barely hiding her smile at Damian’s unrestrained grin. How in the world would he be so charming and so handsome all at the same time? Her fingers toyed with the fringe of hair at the back of his neck, watching his joy fill his face. She felt his warmth pour into her, his happiness, and she felt the words tremble over her lips: “I love you.” 

Damian’s kisses stuttered and he pulled back to look down at her with wide eyes. It felt like the world had somehow paused beneath her feet, and Damian swallowed slowly, turning her words over in his head. “Did you just-”

For a moment Raven thought she should take it back, that maybe it was too soon to say, and that she wasn’t entirely sure about her feelings yet. But… she knew there was no way to stop her own feelings. Not like this - when the world felt like light and Damian was its source. She couldn’t stop her own smile from pulling at her lips. Slowly, she ran her fingers through his hair and pulled his face down closer to her own, resting her forehead against his own. “Sorry it took me so long to say. I should have said it weeks ago.” 

Damian’s mouth covered her own before she could say anything else, and his kiss shattered her soul. She met him kiss-for-kiss, drowning in him, letting herself be pulled under the waves. She gasped between kisses, her body lighting up like fireworks as his fingertips feathered the buttons on her shirt. She didn’t even have time to respond before her whole body lit up like fireworks, and her kisses became more desperate. She  _ needed _ this. She  _ needed _ him, and she didn’t even know how to tell him that. 

“ _ Damian… _ ”

He snarled low in his throat and pushed her back against the desk behind her, his fingers tangling in the hem of her prim and proper pencil skirt. She felt him shove her skirt higher on her hips, and his teeth sunk into her lower lip with a curse. 

“I’m sorry,  _ habibti _ . I can’t wait until we get home-” 

_ Home _ .  _ Their _ home. 

“- _ I need you _ .” His fingers paused over the lace edge of her stockings and he growled a warning into her mouth, letting her know that he wasn’t going to be gentle. “ _ Now. _ ”

Before she realized what was happening, Damian had spun her around and bent her over her desk, pushing the stacks of files to the floor with a curse. Her skirt was shoved up to her hips and her underwear ripped from her body. Raven shivered as she felt the cool office air curl up her most sensitive parts, and she knew she was probably a dripping  _ mess _ . But based on Damian’s wanton groan behind her, he didn’t seem to mind. 

His fingers spread her wide and Raven groaned into her hands, her arms pinned under her chest. “My  _ love _ …” Her voice was breathy and desperate and unlike anything she had ever heard before. “I  _ need _ you.” She ran her tongue over her lower lip and moaned loudly, hoping the other offices wouldn’t hear her. It was long after five, so  _ hopefully _ they were the only ones on the floor, because Raven wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to keep quiet. She took a shivering breath and spread her legs wider in an invitation for him. “I need your big,  _ thick _ cock.”

Damian’s response was a feral growl, and the tell-tale sound of him unfastening his pants. “Are you trying to talk  _ dirty _ to me, my love?”

She chewed on her lower lip, suddenly nervous. “Is it working?”

He paused, the weight of silence in the room making her feel anxious and even  _ more _ desperate. Damian leaned forward, and his fingers traced her, finding her clit as he teased another whine from her. “It  _ is _ . Tell me what else you need, my love. I will see if I can-” He speared her with two fingers, pumping slowly inside her. “- _ provide _ .”

Raven’s back arched against his hand and she let go of a whimper. He  _ always _ knew how to get her to shatter underneath him in seconds. Her fingers dug into the wood of her desk and she pushed her hips back against his hand. “I need  _ this _ . I need  _ you _ . I need you fingering me on my desk like I’m yours. I need you eating me out like I’m a delicacy. I need your cock in my mouth as I hear you moan. I want-”

“ _ Damnit, Raven. _ ” He stepped up behind her, and Raven could feel his fingers slip from her body as the engorged head of his cock pressed against her. “I didn’t think you would  _ kill _ me.” 

She tried to feel some iota of pride, but her own desperation ran far too deep. Right now, the only thing she  _ really _ needed was him. Before Raven could respond, she felt him enter her in one swift movement, and her whole body tightened and tensed with need. She pushed back against him, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. In the back of her mind, she  _ swore  _ she could have heard someone outside her office door, chatting with a coworker. She should care about their privacy - really, she should - but… she couldn’t find enough common sense to care. Raven raised herself on her tiptoes and spread her legs wider, allowing Damian to sink deeper inside her. 

“ _ You feel so good _ .” Raven’s voice was hoarse and raw, and he hadn’t even made her scream yet. She closed her eyes and pushed back against him, feeling his fingers toy with her clit. He stroked her, his thumb and forefinger rolling her sensitive flesh as if he was testing the strength of her patience. She whined and had half a mind to push him back to her chair and fuck herself with his body. But-

“ _ Minx _ .”

The name was teasing, playful, and yet somehow dangerous. It was like he was reminding her what kind of trouble she was about to find herself in. And,  _ oh _ . Oh, she was  _ definitely _ playing with fire now. Damian pushed himself deeper, his fingers pinching her clit almost painfully - but Raven  _ liked _ it, and she let go of another muffled moan as she pushed back against him. He was going to  _ destroy _ her if she wasn’t careful, but maybe she wanted that. Maybe she  _ wanted _ to be destroyed. 

“I want you so utterly spent that I have to carry you out of this building, and everyone will know  _ exactly _ who you belong to -  _ me. _ ” Damian’s teeth found her neck, sinking deep enough that it  _ almost _ hurt. Raven pushed back against him again, her whine barely muffled by her own hand. He pulled back slowly, so that she could feel every delicious inch of him sliding against her. She felt him push into her with a sharp thrust and it felt…  _ heavenly _ . He repeated the motions, over and over again - a sharp deep thrust followed by a slow pull of his cock. It was driving her  _ insane, _ and Raven clawed at the desk, desperate for something  _ more _ . 

“D-Damian…” She was ashamed at her own stutter, but she would worry about that later. “ _ Please _ .  _ Now _ .”

“Now,  _ what _ , my  _ minx? _ ” He leaned over her, his tongue feathering her neck. “What do you need?”

“Fuck me.” She moaned louder into her hands. “ _ Please. _ I’m  _ begging _ you…  _ fuck me _ . My love… _ Please _ . I can’t take it any more.” 

She heard him curse in at least three languages before his hands tightened on her hips to the point it would bruise. He pinned her hips to the edge of her desk and she felt the head of his cock resting just at her entrance. A moment passed, then two, and then he  _ fucked her hard _ . Push after push of his body took her to a whole other plane of existence. His hips were a blur, and Raven felt herself screaming before she could stop. Her head was thrown back against her shoulders and Damian buried his face into her neck to muffle his own cries. Raven lost track of how many times she came. It felt like one orgasm ran into the other, over and over again until she was drowning her in pleasure and her body was a wet mess and she was sagging against her desk, Damian’s own form blanketing her. 

_ Fuck _ .

Holy hell. She didn’t know how in the world she was going to  _ survive _ as his girlfriend. 

They were both gasping as he fell back into her chair, groaning. Raven looked over her shoulder at him. He was a mess, his cock starting to fall as their essence mingled along the fine wool of his pants.  _ Gods _ . Damian was gorgeous like this - used and loved and spent, and Raven didn’t understand how she didn’t realize that she loved him sooner. Heat curled up her neck and stained her cheeks, and she found herself wanting to ride him all over again.

He looked up at her from underneath his thick eyelashes and smirked. “You’re filthy right now, my love. But…” He grabbed her hips and pulled her back into his lap, his hands sliding along her body as if he was trying to memorize her. “... I will make sure I clean you up at home.” Damian nibbled at her throat. “ _ Our _ home.”

Raven sighed, nuzzling her face into his neck, content. “ _ Our _ home.”


	8. Post Script: Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a few extra parts that I wrote on Tumblr, so I thought I would include them just in case.

Her feet were  _ killing her _ . 

Raven was practically limping as she stumbled over the threshold of their flat, pushing at her hair that was held in place by no less than four thousand pins. At least one thousand of them were digging into her scalp, and she grumbled under her breath as she started taking them out, putting them in a pile on the counter. Damian stepped into their flat behind her, his shoulders drooping with exhaustion as he placed what was left of their wedding cake on the counter. 

“For trying to be a  _ small affair _ , my family did make a damn  _ day _ of it.” Damian sighed, the sound rattling in his chest like he carried the weight of the world, and pulled out a bottle of champagne from the fridge. He started peeling off the foil around the neck, and glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. “They didn’t bother you too much, did they?”

“You know I love your family. I have since I first met them - even  _ Jason _ .” 

Damian snorted, but there was a start of a small smile against the corner of his mouth. 

Raven watched him for a moment before she pulled herself up on the counter, her feet glad to not be supporting her weight any more. She sat there and let the soft, comfortable silence settle between them. Oh. But  _ wait. _ There was still cake left. With wide, excited eyes, she reached for the deceptively plain cake box, flicking open the lid. Her smile brightened. There were  _ real perks _ to marrying the most powerful civilian in the city - including getting a wedding cake from the most exclusive bakery in Gotham. She ran her finger through an iced decoration, bringing it to her lips. 

A  _ pop _ from the champagne bottle made her look up, and saw Damian lifting an eyebrow. His eyes roamed her face as a smirk playing along his lips. He poured her a glass of champagne and handed it to her. 

“Do you need a fork?”

“Mm. No.” Raven sucked on her finger, licking off the icing before taking a sip of the champagne. With a teasing smile, she dipped her finger back into the beautifully iced cake, holding out a dollop of icing to Damian. “Want some?”

He looked from her finger to her mouth and back again, bending his head down to suck gentle on her hand, and…  _ oh _ . Raven’s heart skipped beats as he lifted his deep, green eyes to her own, sucking the sweet treat from her hand without breaking away his stare. Breath caught in her lungs, and she suddenly realized how much trouble she was in now.  _ This. _ She was  _ married _ to  _ this _ . The muscles in her thighs tightened, and she licked her lips, tasting icing still clinging to them. He could be  _ so serious _ sometimes, that she forgot how  _ sensual _ he could be too. Damian sucked her finger deeper into his mouth, tapping up every last bit of icing before releasing her hand. 

Damian set his glass down and slammed his hands on either side of her hips, leaning up into her face. He smelled of his spiced soap and the expensive scotch he’d been drinking at dinner. He smelled like… like  _ home. _ “I know you’re wearing them.”

Oh. He wanted to  _ play _ did he? Raven let one shoe drop to the floor, her eyes soft as she met his stare. “Mm?”

“ _ Show them to me, minx. _ ”

Right.  _ Don’t poke the bear.  _ Heat filled her stomach and she shivered, letting her other shoe drop to the floor with a loud clatter. She was playing with fire, and they both knew it. Damian only called her  _ minx _ when she was about to be fucked so hard she wouldn’t walk straight for a week. Her thighs clenched together and she realized she probably should have worn  _ real _ underwear, instead of this useless scrap of a lace thong. 

“ _ Show them to me. _ ” Damian’s voice was a demanding growl and he dipped two fingers into the icing on the cake. 

Slowly, almost as if she was performing a show for him, Raven lifted the hem of her dress - one scant inch at a time. It did  _ nothing _ to cool her down, and whatever sense of control she  _ thought _ she had would be dissolved the moment he put his hands on her.  _ Gods _ . She was  _ so desperate _ right now - so hot that if Damian even  _ looked _ at her, she was going to come. The hem of her dress  _ finally _ reached just above her knees, and she leaned back on the black marble of their counters, looking at him through half-closed eyes. It was an invitation, and he knew it.

Raven took her foot and slid it up the inside of his thigh, her toes  _ just barely _ brushing the underside of what seemed to be a  _ very _ painful erection. A part of her wondered how long he’d been trying to keep  _ that _ under control. Probably since this morning, when she had kicked him out of their bedroom to get dressed for the ceremony. 

Damian cursed in no less than three languages before he grabbed the hem of her skirt, and shoved it the rest of the way up to her waist. It was almost comforting to know that he was just as far gone as she was, and that he was going to shatter in the same way. Raven shifted and spread her legs wide, showing the white lace underwear, decorated with little, pale-blue bows. A soft blush darkened her cheeks, hoping he didn’t notice. She was utterly  _ soaked _ , and it would have been embarrassing, except Damian was licking his lips as though he had caught prey he was about to  _ devour _ .

_ Oh, heavens. _

His fingers, still coated with the most delicious icing on the east coast, slid along the inside of her thigh, leaving a pale-white smear against her skin. He lifted his eyes to her own, and his other hand slid down the back of her thigh, teasing at the seam of her stockings. 

“Did you wear them for a special occasion?” He snapped the lace nylon against her thigh and leaned down to lap up a streak of white icing, humming in appreciation. “You know how I feel about  _ these _ in particular.”

“I would say getting married to the love of my life counts as a special occasion.” Raven was embarrassed at how weak her voice sounded, but the second pass of his tongue along her thigh made her bury her shame. This felt too good to even think about her fears. He was going to set her whole body on fire, and there would be nothing left but ashes. But… it would be worth it. 

“The love of your life?” He pushed the heavy fabric of her dress out of the way and looked into her eyes. His expression softened for a moment, and he nuzzled the crease of her hip, whispering something like a prayer into her skin. “Good to know.”

Damian kissed back down to her underwear catching the delicate lace in his teeth and pulling, letting it snap back against her skin. Another wave of heat filled her body, and Raven whimpered, her head falling back against the marble with a soft sigh. It already felt like she was primed to go off in a show of fireworks, and she spread her legs even wider in invitation. He probably got the hint, but he was drawing out the anticipation until she submitted to his every whim. 

“Ah…  _ habibti. _ ” 

Raven moaned, her back arching off the counter as her breaths threatened to rip the seams from her dress. She felt the heat of his breath through the wet satin of her underwear and shifted her hips, needing  _ something _ to get her  _ somewhere _ .

“Damian…” Her voice was nothing less than a whine. “ _ Please. _ ”

He smirked and leaned back, dipping a finger back into the icing of their wedding cake. “ _ Open up _ .” He held his fingertip up to her mouth, and Raven ran the tip of her tongue along the length of his hand, dipping into the crease of his palm before sucking on his fingertip. The sweetness of the icing mixed with a flavor that was  _ distinctly Damian _ exploded over her tongue, and she barely contained a moan as she drew his finger deeper into her mouth. She curled her tongue around him, and without realizing what she was doing, her own hand crept between her legs, pushing her panties to the side. 

“ _ Oh? _ ” Damian pulled his finger from her mouth and dipped two of them back into the icing again.

Raven lapped her tongue against his fingers, her eyes closing as her own fingers circled her clit.  _ Ah. Yes _ . She drew a finger into her mouth, moaning with every pass of her own hand against her clit. 

“You’re a  _ mess _ , my love.” Damian’s voice was a rough whisper, rumbling against her skin like a promise of sin. “You should see your pretty little pussy. Soaking, dripping.” He leaned over her and licked up her neck, nibbling along her throat. He caught the thin gold chain of her necklace between his teeth and pulled at it. “You look more delicious than our cake.”

She could feel her orgasm start just under her belly button, and she sucked harder on Damian’s fingers, practically riding her own hand. Damian sucked hard on her neck, likely leaving a mark, before he muttered low encouraging phrases into her ear. 

“ _ Yes, my love. Come. Come hard. All over your hands. Let me lick you clean. Taste you. _ ” 

Raven was shuddering, her mouth falling open as-

_ “Ah. Yes, my wife _ .” 

She was ashamed to admit that Damian calling her  _ his wife _ was what tipped her over the edge. Raven’s fingers were a blur as she finished herself off, letting the orgasm slip into her veins and consume her with warm, gentle fire. Her back arched off the counter again and she let go of a whine, muffled by Damian’s fingers held tight with her teeth. He groaned against her neck, and Raven could feel him give a few halfhearted thrusts against her thigh, as if he was trying to stave off his own desires. It was too much, and somehow not enough, and she just let herself float as wave after wave of please drowned her. 

Damian waited until her breath stilled and her heart returned to normal before speaking again. “I wasn’t expecting a  _ show _ on our wedding night.” 

She sighed, letting the pleasant aftershocks ease through her whole body. A few moments passed in silence before she finally opened her eyes again, looking up into Damian’s curious expression. He let go of a low chuckle and stepped back, looking  _ far _ too smug and  _ far _ handsome in his suit. He stood there and watched her for a moment, until Raven wiggled off the counter. The moment her feet hit the floor she began unfastening the row of buttons running down her spine. With a quiet  _ whoosh _ , the dress fell around her ankles, and she stood in their kitchen in nothing more than white lace, and those  _ very specific _ stockings. 

Damian watched her, looking like his own control was barely holding on by a thread. A tense silence settled over them, and he grabbed the cake box, shoving the bottle of champagne in her hands. 

“Bedroom.”

Raven sauntered ahead of him, letting her hips sway just a  _ little _ as she felt his stare trace the outline of her practically bare ass. She glanced over her shoulder, offering a coquettish smile.

“ _ Now, my wife. _ ”


	9. Post Script: Honeymoon

_ Sorry about the furnace and electricity. I needed to grab some parts from the next town over. I’ll be back tomorrow morning, after the storm passes. I left you extra bundles of wood for a fire. You might want to sleep in the living room tonight.  _

Damian snarled as he stared at the note in front of him. No electricity. No heat. No running water. His stomach let out an annoyed growl and Raven stepped into the cabin, carrying their dinner, which consisted of now-cold fast food. He had planned for a chef to meet them at the mountain cabin, to cook them a five star meal, and then he would spend the rest of the evening feeding her expensive chocolate and making love to her. 

Instead the chef backed out, citing fear from the weather. And the electricity was shot. And now they were going to be eating cold, greasy burgers while they sat on the floor.

Raven set down a gallon of water and stumbled through the space, precariously balancing her phone from her teeth, the flashlight app casting stark shadows into the room. She set the bag of food on an end table and turned to look at Damian. 

“I take it the electricity hasn’t been fixed?” 

Damian snarled again, stalking to the impressive fireplace. “I’ll start the fire.”

“You know, the motel in town didn’t look  _ so _ bad.” She was lying, of course. The place looked like it was currently hosting a rat consortium, and still advertised such luxury amenities as  _ color TV _ . That was  _ not _ where he wanted to spend the first night of his honeymoon. “I mean, we could probably make it back before the storm gets too bad… we would have to leave now though.” 

Damian, out of sheer stubbornness, reached for the box of fireplace matches and lit one up. The repairman at least did the courtesy of stuffing the fireplace with dry wood and paper. A bitter smoke rose from the wood for just a moment, before a few golden embers sparked along the wood. It crackled for a moment, and a flame flickered at the edge of the fire. He let go of another soft curse and stood up, walking to the master bedroom and grabbing the freshly laundered blankets and pillows from the bed. At least the cleaning service had been in here before the electricity had gone out, that was one small miracle. 

“Let’s just eat… whatever this is that passes dinner and try to keep warm.” Damian fidgeted with the logs in the fire for a moment before looking back at Raven. “All the money in the world and I’m hampered by  _ the weather _ .”

“And geography.” Raven’s voice was oddly cheerful. She pulled off her jacket and boots, leaving her in her thick leggings and sweater dress. “You know, I didn’t need a big showy honeymoon.” She pulled a fur throw blanket from the back of the sofa and sat down next to him. “We could have stayed home for two weeks and just fucked each other senseless.” 

He turned and looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Yes, maybe. But at least now we can fuck in exotic locales.” 

She tipped her head to the side, pretending to think. “And you won’t be distracted by work.”

He snorted but said nothing, letting soft silence slide over them as he tended to the fire. Raven was right. He wouldn’t be distracted by work at least. Out here, they barely had one bar of signal, just enough to get out a quick phone call or a text. They would be at each other’s mercy for two weeks. Not that either of them minded all that much. 

Raven reached over and tangled her fingers in the fibers of his sweater, pulling herself closer to him. “Have I ever told you…” She leaned over his shoulder and nibbled on his ear, her hand trailing down the front of his chest. “…that sometimes I fantasize about you going down on me next to a roaring fire?” She blew gently in his ear. “And then you take me  _ hard _ from behind?”

His stomach tightened in knots and his cock sprang to life before he could even think straight. “What are you doing?”

“Me?” She pulled back and tried to look innocent, batting her eyelashes. “Just trying to make the best of a bad situation.” Her hand rested at the fly of his jeans, and she glanced back into his eyes. “And… maybe I  _ really _ want to see how gorgeous your cock looks when it’s bathed in firelight… and I’m sucking on it.” 

Damian moved so fast, he felt like a blur. His hands and hers were pulling at each other’s clothes, leaving them in a pile on the other side of the nest of blankets and pillows. Raven looked like a  _ vision _ , crawling towards him on all fours, her eyes locked on his cock. Firelight bathed her pale skin, casting lacy shadows and movement over her. She was a goddess, meant to be used for pleasure, and Damian fully intended on taking full advantage of her body -  _ every beautiful curve _ . 

Her hands slid up his legs and she slid her tongue along the underside of his cock. Damian groaned and fell back against the blanket spread out on the floor, watching with fascination as she sucked on just his head, teasing him. Her mouth was sin personified, and his head tipped back along his shoulders as his fingers tangled in her hair.  _ Fuck _ . She sunk down as far as she could go, her hand wrapping around the base of him, and started a slow, steady rhythm. His eyes practically rolled back in his head and he cursed through clenched teeth. 

“ _ Touch yourself. _ ” It was an order, and one she knew better than to refuse. He watched as her delicate fingers slid between her legs, and Raven lifted her eyes to his face, her expression one of pure temptation. The plights from the day seemed to disappear underneath the weight of her stare, and he suddenly felt resolved to ignore it. All that mattered was  _ right now _ . He wanted this moment frozen in time, just so he could remember every vivid detail. 

His head tilted back again, and he let himself drown in the sensations, enjoying the way his body burned and pleasure practically shattered every bone he had. She used every trick she had learned from him, sucking his cock hard, sliding her tongue over his head, using her throat to tease him. His body tightened and relaxed over and over, until it felt like hours passed with him floating in this soft wave of desire, not quite reaching orgasm.

He glanced down at her through his lashes and found her riding her fingers. Shaking the fog from his own thoughts, Damian hooked his fingers under her chin and she pulled back, eyes fluttering. He could see her wetness coat her hand, and he brought her fingers to his lips, sucking on them. She could taste like heaven to him. Raven let out a soft sigh, and Damian was unable to keep the smirk from his lips. 

He ran his thumb over her swollen lips and hummed, his voice teasing. “I believe you said your fantasy was for me to go down on you.” 

Crawling forward, he gave her shoulder a gentle push, tipping her back into the nest of soft blankets. Damian sat there for just a moment, letting himself drink in the gorgeous sight of her. Raven twisted in the blankets, and she slid her toes up his legs. Her eyes fluttered and she smiled at him. 

“Are you going to stand there and stare all night? Or are you going to eat out your wife,  _ Mister Wayne? _ ” The teasing lilt to her voice nearly sent him over the edge, and Damian found himself kneeling before her hooking her legs over his shoulders. She squirmed against him, suddenly realizing how much trouble she was in. Damian refused to let her feel like she had the upper hand in  _ anything _ . His eyes darkened and he curled his tongue over her clit. 

The moan that escaped between her lips sent shivers down his spine. All this time together, and it still felt like the first time. Damian’s mouth worked her hard, his tongue spelling out his name against her clit like it was a brand.  _ His _ . She would always be  _ his _ . His first crush. His first love. His only wife. And he wanted the whole world to know. 

Her fingers tangled in his hair and he felt her back arch against the blankets underneath them. She was lost in pleasure, wild and desperate for everything he could give her. Damian slid two fingers into her, feeling her clench tightly around him. Another desperate moan escaped, and he almost thought about letting her fall over the edge, but it was  _ so _ much more fun to keep her on the edge, begging for it. 

“ _ Damian… _ ” Her voice was breathless and aching, and her fingers tightened in his hair to the point it was almost painful. Every sweep of his tongue had her bucking into his mouth, and her thighs were trembling. “Please…  _ please… _ ” Her arm was thrown over her eyes and she was practically shaking. “I can’t take anymore… let me come.  _ Please _ let me come.” 

He said nothing, but pressed his tongue harder against her and added a third finger. Seconds later, Raven was screaming. Her head was thrown back as she was thrown into a storm only she could feel. Damian was relentless, drawing out her orgasm for as long as he could, stretching every second of pleasure until she was a dripping gasping mess splayed out on the blankets. He licked his lips clean and leaned back to survey his work. Raven was twitching, her eyes glazed and her chest heaving as she tried to swallow air. 

“You…” 

He waited. 

“...jerk.” 

Damian smirked, as he watched her glare at him. Maybe he’d been a bit  _ too _ harsh, but she didn’t seem to be complaining. His hands grabbed her hips and he rolled her over onto her stomach. “Oh, I’m not done with you yet.” He pulled her onto her hands and knees, kneeling behind her. “I believe you asked for this…?” He slid the tip of his cock into her, and Raven’s back arched before she leaned down, pressing her shoulders into the floor. Damian sunk another inch into her and she groaned into the blankets, shivering. 

“I…” She groaned as he slipped further into her. “...asked for you to  _ fuck _ me. Not…” A curse was ground out between clenched teeth. “...torture me.” 

“Mm?” Without warning, Damian grabbed her hips and yanked her backward, seating himself to the hilt. Her hands crept in front of her, twisting in the blankets as she tried to hold onto something. He could feel her body tightening around him, and it took every ounce of his will to hold his body still. His hand slid down her spine and he pinned her shoulders to the floor. “Tell me… what do you want?”

Raven looked over her shoulder at him. “ _ Damian… _ ”

He pulled back and slammed into her once, listening to the desperate yelp that escaped her throat. “You have to ask me, Raven. I need to hear you say it.”

“ _ Hard _ .” Her hands twisted tighter in the blanket and she tried to push back against him, but Damian’s hand kept her pinned to the floor. “Hard and fast. Please.  _ Please _ . I can’t… I can’t wait any longer.” 

Without another word, Damian pulled back and fucked her with wild abandon. She was made for pleasure, and every scream he drew from her confirmed it. Skin slapped against skin, the sound rough and wild, but nothing existed outside this moment. There was no storm, no snow, no  _ world _ outside of this room. All that mattered was that they gave themselves over to a primeval call that burned them both. 

Damian’s hand on her hip bit into the soft flesh, leaving marks with every wild thrust. Raven pushed back against him, begging him, urging him on, and making it feel like everything had stood still. He could feel her tighten around him, his cock heavy and eager, and his fingers slid around her hip to toy with her clit. She tipped over the edge in second, her body oversensitized and desperate for relief. She screamed into the blankets beneath her, slamming her body back against him as she rode wave after wave of her orgasm. 

Damian tried his best to hold on, but his well-placed control slipped from his hands and he couldn’t stop himself. Throwing his head back, he let go of something akin to a roar, his hips thrusting wildly into her body. He lost all sense of himself, and the only thing that mattered was how fucking  _ good _ this felt. Her body tight around his cock, the wet mess dripping between them, the way his lungs couldn’t get enough air - it all felt like he’d found himself in a heaven filled with nothing but sin. 

Barely holding onto his senses, he found the strength to pull from her body and collapsed next to her. Raven shivered and inched her way into the warmth of his chest. Damian watched sweat pool into secret hallows in her body, and lifted her hair off her neck, kissing along her shoulder. She whimpered and pushed herself closer to him, fitting her plump ass into the cradle of his hips. Damian kissed up her neck and nibbled on her ear. 

“Maybe this isn’t  _ such _ a bad start to our honeymoon.” 

Raven snorted and looked over her shoulder at him, her lips curling up into a small smile. “I think you effectively killed me.” She reached for a spare blanket, drawing it up over her shoulder. 

His face was steely and he stared down at her. “You have ten minutes before I fuck you again.” 

Her eyes snapped open and she stared at him, cheeks flushing brightly. “Dami-”

“ _ Ten _ .” 


End file.
